UAE-based Pakistanis to receive only e-passports from July 20 as new system takes effect
New fee structure announced for five and 10-year passports
ABU DHABI – Pakistan will begin issuing only e-passports to its citizens applying for passport services in the United Arab Emirates from July 20, marking a major shift in line with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.
The move applies to all passport applications submitted through the Embassy of Pakistan in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate General of Pakistan in Dubai. The announcement comes a month after authorities in Pakistan confirmed the gradual phasing out of machine-readable passports (MRPs).
The diplomatic mission said all passport applications submitted from July 20 onwards will be processed exclusively under the e-passport category. However, it stressed that existing machine-readable passports already in circulation will remain valid until their expiry date and will continue to be accepted for international travel.
Validity rules
The embassy also advised Pakistani nationals in the UAE who hold machine-readable passports with more than six months' validity not to renew them immediately. Instead, they have been urged to apply for renewal only when the remaining validity falls below six months.
Officials further confirmed that the online passport application facility for overseas Pakistanis will continue without interruption, allowing eligible citizens living abroad to apply for passport services remotely.
New fees
Alongside the rollout, the embassy released the updated fee schedule for e-passports.
For passports with five-year validity, fees are set at Dh145 for a normal 36-page passport and Dh235 for an urgent application. A 72-page passport costs Dh260 under the normal category and Dh425 on an urgent basis.
Applicants seeking replacement after losing a passport for the first time will pay Dh290 (normal) or Dh470 (urgent) for a 36-page passport, while the 72-page version costs Dh520 and Dh850, respectively. For a second lost passport, charges increase to Dh580 and Dh940 for a 36-page passport, and Dh1,040 and Dh1,700 for a 72-page passport under normal and urgent processing.
For 10-year validity passports, a normal 36-page passport is priced at Dh215, rising to Dh355 for urgent processing. A normal 72-page passport costs Dh390, while the urgent option is Dh635.
Applicants replacing a passport lost for the first time will be charged Dh430 (normal) or Dh710 (urgent) for a 36-page passport, while a 72-page passport costs Dh780 and Dh1,270, respectively. Those applying after losing a passport for the second time will pay Dh860 (normal) or Dh1,420 (urgent) for a 36-page passport, while fees for a 72-page passport are Dh1,560 under normal processing and Dh2,540 for urgent service.