Interior ministry cuts passport processing time to 14 days

ISLAMABAD: The government has reduced the processing time for ordinary passports to 14 days from 21 days, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Thursday, as the government moves to streamline services and curb the role of middlemen.

The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Naqvi and Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry.

Naqvi said that the move would facilitate citizens and improve service delivery. He also directed the authorities concerned to introduce a fully cashless system at passport offices within 15 days, saying the shift would help eliminate agents and improve transparency.

The meeting also agreed to further strengthen home delivery services for passports and accelerate work on introducing a “business passport” category.

نارمل پاسپورٹ 21 دن سے کم کرکے اب 14 کر دیا گیا
وفاقی وزیر داخلہ محسن نقوی اور وزیر مملکت طلال چوہدری کی زیر صدارت اجلاس میں شہریوں کی سہولت کیلئے بڑے فیصلے
نارمل پاسپورٹ 21 دن سے کم کرکے اب 14 کر دیا ہے ۔ محسن نقوی
پاسپورٹ دفاتر میں مکمل کیش لیس سسٹم رائج ہوگا۔ pic.twitter.com/dIfhRcwuWL

— Ministry of Interior GoP (@MOIofficialGoP) April 30, 2026

Earlier, the Federal Constitutional Court had restored key provisions of the Passport and Immigration Rules, suspending an earlier ruling by the Lahore High Court that had struck them down.

A two-member bench headed by Justice Hasan Azhar Rizvi announced the verdict on a plea of the government.

The restored provisions give authorities the power to place individuals on the Passport Control List and to deactivate passports, powers that had been curtailed by the high court’s ruling.

During the hearing, the court examined a case involving a citizen allegedly deported from Iran after travelling illegally.

The government had told the court that the individual’s name had been added to the control list following the incident, which was later challenged.

The bench questioned whether the case involved human smuggling and sought details of the investigation from the Federal Investigation Agency, while adjourning the hearing indefinitely.

Pakistan has been seeking to reform its passport issuance system amid rising demand and complaints over delays and the involvement of agents.

The introduction of digital and cashless systems is part of broader efforts to modernise public services and improve transparency.