Pakistan has halted the issuance of machine-readable passports (MRPs) and will now issue only e-passports to citizens nationwide, ending a system that lasted 22 years.
Authorities indicated that MRPs already in circulation will continue to be valid up to their stated expiration dates, but they cannot be renewed after that point. The e-passport programme was launched in March 2022, initially targeting diplomats and Islamabad residents.
In August 2023, the scheme was broadened to all citizens, who were given a choice between an MRP and an e-passport. Prior to the MRP era, Pakistan issued handwritten passports, a practice dating back to the nation's founding.
Officials said the shift is intended to modernise passport services and align the security and efficiency of Pakistan's travel documents with international standards.
