Lahore – The Directorate General of Immigrations and Passports has initiated the issuance of e-passports, a highly secure travel document, to Pakistani citizens.

These e-passports incorporate an electronic chip embedded within one of the passport pages, which stores biometric information about the holder. This chip contains data essential for verifying the passport holder’s identity, including biometrics, personal information from the passport’s data page, a unique identification number, and a digital signature.

E-Passports have already been adopted by over 150 countries globally, primarily due to the growing necessity for enhanced border security and efficiency. With the introduction of e-passports, Pakistani citizens will enjoy various benefits, including access to e-gate facilities at airports worldwide. This transition aims to streamline the application process, eliminating the challenges associated with the current manual system and providing greater convenience for Pakistani applicants to apply online.

Read more: Pakistan passport normal, urgent category latest fee update

How to Get E-Passport? Here’s Procedure

Obtaining an e-Passport follows a procedure similar to that of acquiring a Machine Readable Passport (MRP).

To apply for an e-Passport at Regional Passport Offices (RPOs), certain conditions must be met:

• Both the first name and last name are obligatory.
• The first name can have a maximum of 50 characters.
• The last name can have a maximum of 40 characters.
• The name of the relative (father/husband/guardian) can have a maximum of 40 characters.
  

  New E-Passport Fee in Pakistan 2024

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

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  Sno.	Category	Period	Normal Fee	Urgent Fee
  1	36 Pages	5 Years	Rs.9,000/-	Rs.15,000/-
  		10 Years	Rs.13,500/-	Rs.22,500/-
  2	72 Pages	5 Years	Rs.16,500/-	Rs.27,000/-
  		10 Years	Rs.24,750/-	Rs.40,500/-