The Ministry of Interior is responsible for granting / extending visas of foreigners (other than Indian nationals whose cases are dealt by the IP&N Wing of the Ministry of Interior).
Business Visa
Visa On Arrival (VOA) for 30 days validity and stay will be given to the businessmen of 69 countries of Business Friendly List (BVL) on production of any of the following documents.
Recommendation letter from CC&I of the respective country of the foreigner.
Invitation letter from Business organization duly recommended by the concerned Trade Organization/ Association in Pakistan .
Recommendatory letter by Honorary Investment Counselor of BOI / Commercial Attach posted at Missions abroad.
Tourist Visa
Pakistan Missions abroad are authorized to grant visit / tourist visa for three months validity and stay with double entry to foreigners of List-A consisting of 175 countries. RPOs have been authorized to extend tourist visa upto a maximum period of six months including the initial visa period and condone overstay up to 15 days on payment of visa fee subject to payment of a minimum of US $ 10 only. For Northern Areas, the Deputy Commissioners Gilgit & Skardu have been authorized to allow extension in visa for three months and one re-entry to the tourists in Northern Areas, charging visa fee as per policy.
Entry into Pakistan WITHOUT Visa
Pakistan has visa abolition Agreements with 36 countries. The foreigners holding diplomatic, official and ordinary passport holders of these 36 countries can enter in
Pakistan without visa for the period mentioned against each. After expiry of the period, extension of visa would be required through Ministry of Interior.
For information on all types of visa, please visit official web site of Ministry of Interior, Government of Pakistan
Procedural Matters
Immigration Check posts have been authorized to issue 30 days landing permit to the tourists entering Pakistan without visa except nationals of the countries borne on negative list.
Under the present instructions, the Regional Passport Offices are authorized to allow initial three months entry visa to the tourists and to allow one extension unto three months. It has further been decided to authorize Regional Passport Offices to grant entry visa to the tourists (except the nationals of the countries borne on negative list) entering Pakistan on landing permit for a period of three months from the date of entry into Pakistan, charging visa fee fixed on reciprocal basis.
The Regional Passport Offices have further been authorized to allow, on application, not more than two re-entries to the tourists, charging prescribed visa fee subject to a minimum of US$ 10 only.
The Pakistan Missions abroad have been authorized to issue tourist visa for a maximum period of three months liberally to all foreign nationals except to the Indian nationals and the foreigners of Indian origin.
All foreign nationals, including tourists, have been exempted from police registration, except the nationals from negative list countries.
Necessary instructions have been issued to all Visa Issuing Authorities at home and abroad accordingly.
In order to provide facility to the foreigners visiting Northern Areas, it has been decided to authorize Deputy Commissioner, Gilgit and Skardu, to allow extension to the tourists for a period of three months and one re-entry charging visa fee as per policy. They shall, however, exercise these powers themselves and will not delegate these powers to their subordinate officials.
In order to provide maximum facilities to the foreigners, the RPOs have been directed to implement following instructions in letter and spirit:-
Visa applications shall be accepted and visa signed by the Officer Incharge / Superintendent.
The best available room in the office having adequate/proper seating arrangements and other amenities be allocated for foreigners.
Special care should be exercised for proper cleanliness and maintenance of Visa Section.
The dealing Assistant deployed at Visa Counter must be well mannered, polite, courteous and conversant with the Visa Rules and Regulations.
It is to be ensured that the foreigners visiting offices are not put to un-necessary inconvenience. Prompt disposal of Visa cases is to be ensured.
Before signing of Visa, it is to ensured that visa has been allowed for the entitled duration and prescribed fee has been realized.
To ensure proper realization of prescribed visa fee and signing of visa, the signing authority will sign each each entry in the Visa Register and will affix his stamp (by name).
The Officer Incharge of RPO will undertake immediate orientation of staff deployed at Visa Counters. The implementation of new visa scheme will be closely monitored by the Directors / Dy. Directors through personal visits/surprise checks.
Minorities, Culture, Sports & Tourism and Youth Affairs Division are requested to take further necessary action to circulate the new visa policy to all concerned organizations/tourist agencies etc., a the earliest, under intimation to this Ministry.
Validity of Visa and Other Information
Visa once issued, can be utilized within 6 months from the date of issue or as provided for.
A single journey entry visa is valid for a stay up to 3 months unless other wise provided.
Multiple journey visa is valid for a stay of 5 months at one time. Any number of journeys (normally six) during a specified period not exceeding one year, are allowed on such visas.
Double entry visa can be issued to genuine tourists by Pakistani embassies abroad, if they possess return/onward air tickets and sufficient amount of foreign currency.
Visa extension (maximum up to 3 months) is granted by Regional Passport & Immigration Offices in major cities of Pakistan (Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar, Karachi and Quetta etc.).
Fresh visa is not required to travel from one province to another province of Pakistan, however, permission is needed for visit to some restricted areas. Please contact any Tourist Information Centre for details in this regard.
Visitors staying over 30 days need to register themselves with the District Foreigners Registration Office within 30 days of their arrival in Pakistan. They should get a resident permit from the Registration Office in exchange to the temporary registration (form ‘C’) issued to them by Immigration authorities at the time of entry. Indian and Afghan visitors are required to obtain Police Registration within 24 hours of their arrival in Pakistan.
E Mail Addresses of Pakistan Missions Abroad
Almaty – pakemb@pakemb.almaty.kz
Ankara- pakinfo@ada.net.tr (Press Section)
Ashakabad – parep@embash.cat.glasnet.ru
Baku – pakistan@embassy.baku.az
Berne – zahid.khan@ITU.CH
Beijing – pak@public.bta.net.cn
Bishkek – pakemb@gtw.info.bishkek.su
Bosnia – parep@zg.tel.hr
parep@bih.net.ba
Bonn – stz@schwaben.de
Beijing – iqbal@public3.bta.net.cn (Press Attache)
Brussels – parep.brussels@infoboard.be
Budapest – pakemb@mail.matav.hu
Cairo – drshakil@intouch.com
parepeg@intouch.com
Canberra Australia Rao Tehsin Ali Khan Press Officer
Colombo – Pakhicom@srilanka.net
Geneva – mission.pakistan@itu.ch
Jeddah – PAREP.JEDDAH@MEP-1.SPRINT.COM
Jakarata – pakjkt@rad.net.id
Johenesburg- pakistan@icon.co.za (South Africa)
Kuala Lumpur – azizk@pc.jaring.my
Los Angeles – PAKCON@aol.com
Los Angeles – pakcon@aol.com
New York – pakpress@aol.com
New York – kamal@undp.org
Paris – Parep_Paris@compuserve.com
Seoul – parep@ktnet.co.kr
Stockholm- pakpress.office@mbox330.swipnet.se
The Hague – parepnl@bart.nl
Vienna – parep.vienna@telecom.at
Washington- info@pakistan-embassy.com
