Pakistan Passport Photo — Captured at the RPO
Pakistan is one of the countries where you do not bring a passport photo at all. The Directorate General of Immigration & Passports (DGI&P) sets out a Machine Readable Passport (MRP) process in which the photograph is captured at the Regional Passport Office counter. Because the image is taken on site, no applicant-supplied size, background or head-height is published for you to meet. Verified against DGI&P (dgip.gov.pk), October 2026.
How the Pakistani photo works
| Photo | Captured at the RPO counter (not supplied by the applicant) |
| Applicant-supplied size | Not published (not applicable — no self-supplied format) |
| Background / head height / dpi / px | Not published (not applicable) |
| Attendance | In person at a Regional Passport Office (or a Pakistan Mission abroad) |
| Issuing authority | Directorate General of Immigration & Passports (DGI&P) |
The entitlement is stated by DGI&P in one line:
“Every Citizen of Pakistan is entitled to Machine Readable Passport for traveling abroad, subject to completion of all codal formalities.”
Where the photo sits in the process
The photograph is step 2 of the eight stages DGI&P describes at a Regional Passport Office (RPO) or Pakistan Mission abroad:
- Arrival of the Applicant at Customer Service Counter.
- Capturing of Photograph + Token Issuance with QR Code.
- Biometrics/Finger Prints capture.
- Data Entry.
- Verification as per Office Record. (ECL/BL)
- Interview and Decision by Assistant Director.
- Fee Payment via QR Code.
- Passport Delivery (Collection of Passport).
So the image is taken at the counter, alongside the issue of a QR-coded token — there is nothing photographic to prepare in advance. Where a One Window facilitation desk operates, DGI&P notes that steps 2 to 5 are processed at one desk.
What to bring instead of a photo
Rather than a photo, the applicant produces identity documents at the counter:
“The applicant will produce the original CNIC/Smart-Card/NICOP or Children Registration Certificate (CRC)/B-Form, in case of below 18 years of age, along with its copies.”
- Adults: original CNIC, Smart-Card or NICOP, with copies
- Below 18: Children Registration Certificate (CRC) or B-Form
Because the MRP is built on NADRA records, holding the correct card first is the practical precondition — see the Pakistan passport documents checklist for the full list.
Fee and photo specification
On payment DGI&P states: “Passport Fees can be paid online using QR code.” The Department publishes its fee amounts as a chart rather than text, so those figures are not restated here.
No millimetre size, background colour or number of copies is published for an applicant-supplied photo, because there is no applicant-supplied photo. Any specific Pakistani passport-photo dimension you see quoted elsewhere should be treated as unverified unless DGI&P or the RPO states it. For the wider application route, see the Pakistan passport guide.
60-second Pakistan photo check
- ☐ Do not bring a photo — it is captured at the RPO counter (step 2)
- ☐ Attend in person at a Regional Passport Office (or a Pakistan Mission abroad)
- ☐ Bring your CNIC, Smart-Card or NICOP (CRC/B-Form if under 18), with copies
- ☐ No official mm size or background — avoid quoting an unofficial figure
- ☐ Pay the fee by QR code; check DGI&P’s own fee chart for amounts
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to bring a photo for a Pakistani passport?
No. DGI&P captures the photograph at the Regional Passport Office counter, as step 2 of the process (with the QR token), so there is no applicant-supplied photo.
What size is a Pakistan passport photo?
Not published. Because the image is captured on site, DGI&P gives no millimetre size, background colour or pixel figure for an applicant to meet.
What background colour is required?
Not published — the photo is taken at the counter, so no background is specified for an applicant-supplied image.
Where is the photo taken?
At the counter of a Regional Passport Office (RPO) in Pakistan, or at a Pakistan Mission abroad, during the passport application process.
What should I bring to the counter?
The original CNIC, Smart-Card or NICOP, with copies — or a Children Registration Certificate (CRC)/B-Form if the applicant is below 18 years of age.
How is the passport fee paid?
Passport fees can be paid online using a QR code; DGI&P publishes the amounts as a fee chart.
Source note: the entitlement statement, the eight-step process (in which the photograph is captured at step 2), the One Window note, the document requirement and the QR fee statement are from the Directorate General of Immigration & Passports, dgip.gov.pk (home page and passport process page; checked October 2026). No applicant-supplied photo size or background is published there.
Related: the Pakistan passport guide, the Pakistan passport documents checklist, the full photo size chart, and the passport photo checker.