Pakistan Passport Checklist — MRP Documents & Rules
Pakistan issues the Machine Readable Passport (MRP) through the Directorate General of Immigration & Passports (DGIP), in line with ICAO standards. The single most important thing to know: the MRP system runs on NADRA data and captures your photograph at the counter, so you cannot apply — or supply your own photo — without a valid NADRA card first. Verified against official sources, September 2026.
How the MRP works
- It is built on NADRA records. An MRP application can only be processed if you already hold one of the valid NADRA documents listed below.
- Live data capture. Your data entry, photograph, signature and thumb impression are captured by trained MRP staff at the office using their own equipment — so you do not bring a passport photo.
- Personal appearance is compulsory. Because of the live capture, the applicant (with the required documents) must attend in person.
Validity
| Adult (above 15 years) | 5 or 10 years |
| Child (15 years and below) | 5 years only |
The NADRA document you must hold first
One of the following valid originals is required before an MRP can be processed:
- Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC); or
- National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP); or
- Smart National ID Card; or
- Computerised Child Registration Certificate (CRC / Form B) — for applicants under 18 only.
If you do not hold one of these, the DGIP guidance is to apply for the NADRA document first and only then proceed with the MRP application.
Documents for an adult applicant
- Personal appearance of the applicant.
- One valid NADRA card (CNIC, NICOP or Smart National ID Card) — original plus a photocopy.
- Your previous passport — original plus a photocopy, for a renewal.
Three groups have extra conditions worth checking before you go:
- Married women must produce a CNIC, NICOP or Smart National ID Card that contains their husband's name. If it does not, the card must be modified to reflect the marital status before applying for the MRP.
- Government employees must produce a No Objection Certificate (NOC) issued within the last 90 days by their ministry, division or department.
- Dual nationals applying for their first Pakistani passport will be verified by the concerned agencies in Pakistan; bringing photocopies of Pakistani parents' CNICs or NICOPs is advised.
Documents for a child (under 18)
- The child must attend in person, accompanied by either one of the parents.
- NICOP or CRC / Form B issued by NADRA — original plus a photocopy.
- The child's previous passport — original plus a photocopy, for a renewal.
- Both parents' Pakistani passports, identity documents and valid residence proof — originals plus photocopies.
- A detailed birth certificate showing both parents' names, plus a copy.
- If the parents are separated or divorced, the custodial parent must produce court orders confirming their legal right of custody of the child.
There is no option to add a child to a parent's passport: under ICAO standards, child endorsement on a parent's MRP is not allowed, so children — even those under 18 — are issued their own separate MRP.
If your passport is lost
- A photocopy of the lost passport.
- A copy of your valid residence visa (for applications lodged abroad).
- A police report containing the lost passport number.
- One valid NADRA card — original plus a photocopy.
After you collect the passport
- Sign or thumbprint page 2. Every holder must sign or place a thumb impression in the box on page 2; for a minor, the child's thumb impression is affixed (female: right thumb, male: left thumb).
- Collect on time. Collect by the due date — passports not collected a month after the collection date are destroyed under existing policy.
Applications lodged abroad go through the nearest Pakistani mission; the document list above reflects the mission guidance. Two items are still 待补 (awaiting official source): the MRP fee and the processing time, which this page does not state because the official pages we verified do not publish them — check DGIP and your mission for the current figures. Photographs are captured at the counter, so there is no applicant-supplied photo size or background to prepare.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a NADRA card to apply for a Pakistani passport?
Yes. The MRP system uses NADRA data, and an application can only be processed if you hold a valid CNIC, NICOP, Smart National ID Card, or — for under-18s — a Computerised Child Registration Certificate (CRC/Form B).
Do I need to bring a passport photo for a Pakistan MRP?
No. Your photograph, signature and thumb impression are captured by trained MRP staff at the office. There is no applicant-supplied photo specification, so no size or background colour applies.
How long is a Pakistani passport valid?
An adult passport above 15 years of age is valid for 5 or 10 years, and a child's passport (15 years and below) is valid for 5 years only.
Can my child be endorsed on my Pakistani passport?
No. Under ICAO standards, child endorsement on a parent's machine readable passport is not allowed, so children — even under 18 — are issued a separate MRP.
Does a married woman need her husband's name on her ID card?
Yes. Married female applicants must produce a CNIC, NICOP or Smart National ID Card containing their husband's name; if it does not, the card must be modified in line with the marital status before applying for the MRP.
What happens if I do not collect my passport?
You must collect it by the due date. Passports not collected a month after the collection date are destroyed as per existing policy, and after collection you must sign or place a thumb impression on page 2.
Because MRP photographs are taken live at the counter, the usual home-photo checks matter less here — but for any other document in your set, the rejection reasons guide and the passport photo checker cover the common failures, the size chart lists every format, and Canada's 50×70 mm page shows how far a non-standard size can sit from the familiar 35×45 mm.