Passport backlog reaches 500,000 once again

ISLAMABAD: In a persistent challenge for the Passport Office, the backlog of passport applications has surged to 500,000, raising concerns despite recent efforts to address the issue.

Despite the allocation of lamination paper and assurances from the Director-General of Passports, delays in passport issuance persist, casting a shadow over the efficiency of the system.

Insider sources reveal that the Passport Office staff is putting in extra hours, even working through weekends, in an attempt to expedite the process. However, the backlog continues to mount, affecting those who have applied for passports after September 14, with no resolution in sight.

Paper shortage halts passport processing in Pakistan, affecting thousands of applicants

The current pace of passport issuance stands at 25,000 per day, while an additional 35,000 individuals, intending to travel abroad, submit online passport applications daily.

This surge in demand exacerbates the existing challenges faced by the Passport Office.

The normal passport fee is RS 4000 inlcuding taxes and it is delivered in 21 days while the urgent fee is Rs 6000 and it takes five days, but with the backlog the passport deliveries are being delayed..

This recurrence of a substantial backlog follows last month’s peak when the unprinted passport backlog soared to 700,000 due to a shortage of lamination paper within Pakistan.