PTA announces free mobile registration for Overseas Pakistanis

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has started a kind of temporary mobile phone registration for overseas Pakistanis and foreign nationals, so they can use their own mobile devices while in Pakistan for up to 120 days, without having to pay taxes or run into service interruptions.

This move has been rolled out via PTA’s Device Registration System (DIRBS), mainly to help short-term visitors who come with a phone from outside the country and then want to use local SIM cards during their stay in Pakistan.

Under the arrangement, a visitor who qualifies can register just one personal mobile phone for temporary use on Pakistani mobile networks.

After it gets approved, the phone stays usable for as long as 120 days, counted from the visitor’s arrival date in the country.

PTA says this temporary registration comes with exemption from Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) duties and taxes for the approved window, which should give real relief to overseas Pakistanis, especially those who travel back often for family meetings, vacations, business matters, weddings, or even urgent situations.

As per PTA, the whole objective is to keep access steady to essential digital services, like mobile internet, banking apps, ride-hailing platforms, messaging services such as WhatsApp, plus other communication tools that now feel like part of everyday routine.

The authority also clarified that each new trip to Pakistan needs a fresh registration request. It is meant only for temporary use, and it does not replace the usual mobile registration process that is required when a foreign device is meant for permanent use in Pakistan.

However, individuals who want to keep using their phones after the 120 days will need to register those devices permanently via DIRBS, and also pay the relevant FBR duties and taxes.

This facility is open to overseas Pakistanis, foreign visitors, travelers carrying their own mobile phones from abroad, and also people who plan to use Pakistani SIM cards in devices that are registered abroad while they’re in Pakistan for a stay of up to four months.

The step is being framed as part of wider attempts to enhance digital convenience for overseas Pakistanis, since they send billions of dollars every year into Pakistan’s economy through remittances.

By making mobile connectivity easier, the PTA is aiming to make short-term visits less tedious and more straightforward for travelers who arrive from overseas.