Pakistan resumes passport services worldwide after 8-day technical disruption
UAE missions reopen counters after days of halted applications
DUBAI – Pakistan restored passport services at its embassies and consulates worldwide on Tuesday, following an eight-day suspension caused by a technical fault.
The disruption, which began on April 29, affected missions across multiple regions, including the Gulf. Overseas Pakistanis, many of whom faced delays in travel and documentation, are now expected to see operations return to normal.
In the UAE, official notifications confirmed that services at the embassy in Abu Dhabi and the consulate in Dubai have resumed. Applicants have been advised to visit during designated hours for processing.
The outage stemmed from a system-wide technical issue at the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports headquarters in Islamabad. Missions in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman and Kuwait were among those affected, leaving thousands unable to apply for or renew passports.
In the UAE alone, Pakistani missions typically process between 800 and 1,000 applications daily. The sudden halt disrupted visa renewals, employment requirements and planned travel, creating significant inconvenience for residents.
Services resume
Authorities confirmed that technical teams worked continuously to resolve the fault. With systems now restored, missions have reopened for all passport-related services, including urgent applications.
Officials expect a surge in demand in the coming days as backlogs are cleared. Priority cases, including expiring passports and applications for newborn children requiring in-person processing, are likely to be addressed first as operations stabilise.