Islamabad: A new facility related to passports is being introduced for Pakistani citizens. From September 7, the facility of renewal and reprint of existing e-passport will be available at NADRA centers across the country. This initiative is expected to facilitate access to passport services for citizens of various cities including Karachi.
Under the new arrangement, citizens will be able to renew their already issued e-passport. In case of loss or other related need, reprint facility will also be available from NADRA centers.
However, not all types of passport services will be transferred to NADRA centers. Citizens will have to approach the relevant passport offices for issuance of new e-passport, change of personal details in the passport and obtaining a new machine-readable passport.
After this new arrangement, the proposal to phase out the passport counters established at NADRA centers will be implemented. The passport staff posted there will also be called back to the relevant department.
This facility will be provided under the arrangement agreed upon between the Directorate General Immigration and Passports and NADRA. The aim of this collaboration is to provide passport services close to the existing identification system for citizens.
According to official records, passport processing counters are already operating within NADRA centers in the country. The list of such centers in Lahore, Karachi and other areas is included in the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports.
The basic features of e-passport are also important in the new system. The e-passport includes an electronic chip. It stores the biometric and personal data of the passport holder.
The e-passport is produced in accordance with the standards of travel documents set at the international level. According to the relevant authorities, its design and security features are compatible with the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization.
The document also includes laser engraving, infrared and ultraviolet security features along with the NFC chip. The aim of these technologies is to reduce the chances of forgery of the document and make identity verification more secure.
The electronic features in e-passports help in identity verification during international travel. In particular, document verification can be done in a more systematic manner in automated or modern immigration systems.
According to officials, modern security features will help make the process of identification and verification of passengers at airports more secure and efficient.
Pakistan is already moving towards the e-passport system. According to the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports, the facility of issuing e-passport will be available in all field offices of the country from August 2023.
The government has also taken steps in recent months to further digitize passport services. This includes measures such as online facilities and home delivery of passports.
The immediate benefit of the new arrangement will be for those citizens who only need to renew or reprint their existing e-passport. They may need to visit a separate passport office for this purpose less.
However, the existing system of the respective passport office will continue for those who are getting e-passport for the first time or who want to change their passport details.
This division, on the one hand, has tried to improve access to routine services by utilizing NADRA’s vast network. On the other hand, the central role of passport authorities has been maintained for complex or new applications.
According to officials, the facility of renewal and reprint of e-passport at NADRA centers will start across the country from September 7. This move is expected to provide more locations for passport services to citizens.
