Govt Cuts Passport Delivery to 14 Days, Goes Cashless

The federal government has reduced the delivery time for ordinary Pakistani passports from 21 days to 14 days and ordered passport offices across the country to shift to a fully cashless payment system within 15 days. The decision was announced in Islamabad on Thursday after a high-level meeting focused on improving passport services and reducing public complaints.

The meeting was chaired by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry. Officials said the new 14-day delivery timeline for normal passports would take effect immediately, making it one of the most direct changes for citizens applying through routine processing channels.

The government also directed passport authorities to end cash transactions at all passport offices nationwide. The move is intended to reduce opportunities for informal payments, discourage middlemen and create a clearer payment trail for applicants who often face confusion during the documentation and submission process.

Naqvi said the reduction in processing time was part of a broader effort to make passport services more efficient. He also said that removing cash from the system would help eliminate the “agent mafia” and provide greater convenience to citizens who have frequently complained about delays and unofficial facilitation networks.

Officials were further instructed to finalise a separate business passport category at the earliest. The meeting also reviewed improvements to the passport home-delivery system, with authorities asked to make doorstep delivery smoother and more reliable for applicants who prefer to receive documents without repeated visits to passport offices.

The interior minister also stressed the need for a dedicated Passport Authority, describing it as necessary for strengthening service delivery and institutional oversight. Such a body could help centralise reforms, improve monitoring and support long-term changes in a system that handles millions of applications every year.

Pakistan’s passport offices have faced growing pressure in recent years due to rising demand, long queues and delays in delivery. Immigration data cited in the report shows that more than 6.5 million passports were issued in 2023 alone, while demand has continued to climb since 2022 as citizens increasingly seek travel, work, education and migration opportunities abroad.

The reforms are likely to affect a wide range of Pakistanis, from overseas job seekers and students to business travellers and families planning international travel. Faster ordinary passport delivery could reduce reliance on urgent processing, while cashless payments may help improve transparency if the digital system is implemented consistently across urban and smaller centres.

The next challenge for the government will be execution within the 15-day deadline. Authorities will need to ensure payment systems work smoothly, staff are trained, applicants are properly informed and offices in all regions are equipped to follow the new rules without creating fresh bottlenecks.