LAHORE – The Directorate General of Immigrations and Passports has started issuing e-passports, a highly secure travel document, to Pakistani citizens

The e-passport features electronic chip embedded in one of the passport pages, which will be used to store biometric information about the holder. The chip contains data that will verify the passport holder’s identity and will include the biometrics of the passport holder, the personal data found on the data page of the passport, a unique identification number and a digital signature.

E-Passports are already in use in more than 150 countries worldwide. Several countries have switched to the e-Passport due to the increasing need for efficient and better border security.

Pakistan e-Passport holders can benefit from the e-gate facility at all airports around the world. It will also help eliminate all the hurdles in the ongoing manual system and will aid Pakistani applicants to process online applications conveniently.

How to Get E-Passport?

The application process for the e-Passport is similar to acquiring a Machine Readable Passport (MRP).

The following conditions are mandatory for applying the e-Passport at RPOs :

First Name and Last Name are Required

First Name allowed up to 50 characters

Last Name allowed up to 40 characters

Relative (Father/Husband/Guardian) Name allowed up to 40 characters

New E-Passport Fee in Pakistan

The fee for the newly introduced Ordinary e-Passport is given below :