Réponses aux demandes d'information

Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada

1. Overview

A country information report by Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) indicates that Pakistani passports are issued by the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports (DGI&P), and notes that Pakistani diplomatic missions abroad can issue passports to citizens (Australia 25 Jan. 2022, para. 5.33, 5.44). According to sources, Pakistan issues [machine readable (Australia 25 Jan. 2022, para. 5.43)] ordinary, official, and diplomatic passports (Australia 25 Jan. 2022, para. 5.43; Pakistan 15 Nov. 2021a), and DGI&P adds that it also issues emergency travel documents (Pakistan 15 Nov. 2021a).

DGI&P indicates that ordinary passports are "issued to all [c]itizens of Pakistan … subject to completion of all codal [sic] formalities" (Pakistan 15 Nov. 2021a). The DFAT report states that all citizens are eligible to apply for a passport but notes that "some groups," including the Ahmadis, "face discriminatory barriers to doing so" (Australia 25 Jan. 2022, para. 5.44). The same source indicates that in 2017 Pakistan issued "its first transgender passport," which marks the gender field with an "'X'" (Australia 25 Jan. 2022, para. 5.44).

According to sources, Pakistan no longer issues manual passports (Australia 25 Jan. 2022, para. 5.43; Dawn 29 Jan. 2021). The Consulate General of Pakistan in Toronto states that the "issuance of manual passports has been phased out" (Pakistan n.d.a).

2. MRP

The DGI&P website states that all applicants, regardless of age, receive their own passports and that MRPs do not support the inclusion of children in a parent's passport (Pakistan 15 Nov. 2021b). The same source indicates that MRPs can have validity for five or ten years, but children under age 15 can only receive MRPs with five years of validity (Pakistan 15 Nov. 2021b).

The DFAT report states that MRPs "contain biometric and security features, including a photograph of the holder, fingerprints, and watermarks" (Australia 25 Jan. 2022, para. 5.43). The same source adds that MRPs also "contain information about the holder's religion," but "do not distinguish between Sunni and Shi'a" (Australia 25 Jan. 2022, para. 3.56, 5.43). The report indicates that passports are "generally reliable" against "fraud" (Australia 25 Jan. 2022, para. 5.52). A sample of an MRP is available online, on the EU's Public Register of Authentic Identity and Travel Documents Online (PRADO) (EU 1 July 2021a).

According to PRADO, a previous version of the Pakistani passport with 10-year maximum validity was first issued in 2013 (EU 1 July 2021b). A sample of this previous version of the passport is also available on PRADO (EU 1 July 2021b).

3. Requirements and Procedures to Obtain an MRP in Pakistan
3.1 New Application or Passport Renewal

DGI&P provides the following list of documents required for applicants aged 18 and older to obtain a new MRP:

• Original bank receipt indicating payment of application fee;
• Original and photocopy of a valid Computerized National ID Card (CNIC) or National ID Card for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP);
• Original and photocopy of the previous passport, if one has been issued;
• Original and photocopy of a foreign passport (for dual nationals);
• Police report that mentions the previous passport number (for applicants who lost their passport) (Pakistan 15 Nov. 2021b)

The DGI&P website indicates that minors under age 18 seeking to obtain a new MRP must be accompanied at the passport office by their parent or a "legal guardian appointed by [a] court of law" (Pakistan 15 Nov. 2021b). The same source provides the following list of documents required for applicants under age 18 to obtain a new MRP:

• Original bank receipt indicating payment of the application fee;
• Original and photocopy of a Family Registration Certificate (FRC), Smart National ID Card, or Child Registration Certificate (CRC), also known as Form B;
• Original valid CNIC/NICOP of the accompanying parent or guardian;
• Photocopies of valid CNICs for both parents;
• Original and photocopy of a foreign passport (for dual nationals);
• Original and photocopies of death certificates of any deceased parents;
• Custody papers granted by a court of law (for applicants whose parents are separated or divorced);
• Guardianship certificate issued by a court of law (for applicants with a guardian);
• Police report that mentions the previous passport number (for applicants who lost their passport) (Pakistan 15 Nov. 2021b).

The DGI&P website indicates that a person renewing their passport before its expiration "may" have to provide a "statement mentioning the reason for obtaining a new passport" (Pakistan 15 Nov. 2021b). The same source adds that following the submission of the required documents at the passport office, the "existing passport" will be returned to the applicant (Pakistan 15 Nov. 2021b).

According to the DGI&P website, obtaining a new passport or renewing a passport from inside Pakistan requires the applicant to travel to a "Regional Passport Office" (RPO) (Pakistan 15 Nov. 2021c). The DGI&P website also indicates that the applicant must obtain their first passport from the RPO responsible for the "permanent or temporary" address on the applicant's CNIC (Pakistan 15 Nov. 2021b). The same source adds that passport renewals may be processed by any RPO, as long as a "Gazetted Officer" attests to the applicant's "present address" (Pakistan 15 Nov. 2021b).

The information in the following paragraph on the application procedure at RPOs was provided by the DGI&P website:

Once the applicant has produced the required IDs and bank receipt, the RPO staff take the applicant's photograph, record their fingerprints, and complete data entry of the applicant's information. The applicant verifies the content of the data entry form and then signs it. The applicant is also checked against the "[e]xit [c]ontrol [l]ist (ECL) and [b]lack [l]ist (BL)" [1] to confirm that they are eligible for a passport. The Assistant Director or officer-in-charge then interviews the applicant to confirm their "[n]ational [s]tatus" and credibility; they can decide to allow the application to proceed, request additional documents or "[i]f required … refer the case to [the] Security Agency" to confirm the Pakistani citizenship of the applicant. Only the applicant, their "blood relative" or a person with an "authority letter" from the applicant can collect the passport when it is ready (Pakistan 15 Nov. 2021c).

The DGI&P webpage notes that applicants under 18 years old will not be interviewed but must have their "data form" "duly attested" for their application to proceed (Pakistan 15 Nov. 2021c).

DGI&P indicates that after an MRP application has been processed, it will be delivered in 10 working days for "[n]ormal" service, 4 working days for "[u]rgent" service, and 2 working days for "[f]ast [t]rack" requests ("[i]nitially" only available in Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Quetta, Peshawar, Islamabad and Rawalpindi) (Pakistan 15 Nov. 2021b).

3.2 Passport Modification or Replacement

DGI&P indicates that a person can apply for a passport "to modify" information that has changed, such as their name, their father's name, and their date of birth (Pakistan 15 Nov. 2021b). The same source adds that the applicant will first need to "revise/modify" their CNIC/NICOP before visiting the passport office, and that cases involving the combined changes of the applicant's name, their father's name, and the applicant's date of birth will be forwarded to the Islamabad DGI&P office for approval (Pakistan 15 Nov. 2021b).

DGI&P states that those with "damaged passports" or "frequent traveler[s]" with "exhausted [passport] pages" can apply to have their passports replaced by paying the necessary fee and producing the required documents (Pakistan 15 Nov. 2021b).

3.3 Fees

The DGI&P website provides the following fee schedules for obtaining a new MRP, or renewing an existing MRP, at an RPO:

(Pakistan 15 Nov. 2021b)

The same source lists the following fees for replacing a lost MRP for the first, second, or third time and "afterwards":

(Pakistan 15 Nov. 2021b)

Information on the fees for the "fast track" service are available online (Pakistan 15 Nov. 2021b).

4. Requirements and Procedures to Obtain an MRP Overseas
4.1 New Application

DGI&P indicates that the procedure for obtaining a new MRP from outside Pakistan is the same as from inside Pakistan, except that the application should be submitted to a Pakistan foreign mission (Pakistan 15 Nov. 2021c).

4.2 Passport Renewal, Modification, or Replacement

The e-Services Portal of DGI&P indicates that it can be used for MRP renewal by applicants outside Pakistan whose passport has expired or whose passport holds "less than 12 months" of remaining validity (Pakistan n.d.b). The DGI&P website states that its online system for MRP applications can process the following "five additional categories" of application, "besides" an MRP renewal:

• New passport for a "newborn baby up to two years of age only";
• "Reprint of Damaged Passport";
• "Reprint of Exhausted Passport";
• "Reprint of Lost Passport";
• "Partial Modification in Passport (for female/ male applicants about their [m]arital [s]tatus and change of [p]rofession)" (Pakistan 27 Dec. 2021).

The e-Services Portal lists the following requirements for online MRP renewal:

• "Color scanned copies of valid CNIC or NICOP or Smart CNIC or NICOP both sides" (Pakistan n.d.c);
• "Color scanned copies of existing [p]assport ([f]irst two pages and one random page asked by system)" (Pakistan n.d.c);
• "Color scanned copy" of a valid visa/residence permit/asylum card/passport of another nationality (Pakistan n.d.c);
• Photograph (Pakistan n.d.b), which "must be professionally taken" and should measure 45 mm by 35 mm (Pakistan n.d.d);
• Fingerprint form (Pakistan n.d.b);
• Credit card for online payment of application fee (Pakistan n.d.b).

The e-Services Portal lists the following supporting documents required for minors under 18 years:

• "Color scanned copies" of a valid NICOP or Smart National ID Card (both sides) or a computerized B- Form or FRC;
• "Color scanned copies of mother['s] and father['s] valid National ID Cards (both sides)";
• Guardianship certificate/court decision (for applicants whose parents are separated);
• "Color scanned copy of minor's attestation form";
• "Color scanned copy of [d]eath [c]ertificate if mother or father has passed away";
• Color scanned copy of a valid visa/residence permit/asylum card/passport of another country (Pakistan n.d.c).

4.3 Fees

The e-Services Portal indicates that the fees for renewing an MRP online are the same as when doing so in-person at an RPO inside Pakistan, but the applicant must pay an additional "service charge" of 2,500 PKR [C$18] (Pakistan n.d.e).

4.4 Requirements and Procedures in Canada

According to information provided by Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), an application for a new MRP or renewing an MRP can be processed by the Pakistani High Commission in Ottawa "only" if the applicant has a "valid original" CNIC, NICOP, Smart National ID Card, or CRC; applicants without any of these documents should obtain one before seeking an MRP (Pakistan n.d.f).

Pakistan's MoFA lists the following required documents that individuals aged 18 or above "must" submit to the Pakistani High Commission in Ottawa when applying for a new MRP or the renewal of an MRP:

• Original and photocopy of a valid CNIC or NICOP or Smart NICOP (for married female applicants, their marital status must be updated on the CNIC/NICOP/Smart NICOP);
• Original of the previous Pakistani passport and photocopies of pages 1 to 4 and page 7;
• Original and photocopy of a valid Canadian document demonstrating residence status in Canada, including a permanent resident (PR) card, passport, citizenship card or certificate, or visa (if the Canadian visa status is "not valid," an original and photocopy of the Canadian landing paper and one of the following must also be provided: expired PR card, expired Canadian passport, expired "study/multiple/super/work visa") (Pakistan n.d.f).

The same source adds that the following documents must be stapled together in the following order:

• Original and photocopy of the certified cheque/bank draft/money order
• CNIC/NICOP/Smart NICOP
• Previous Pakistani passport ("first four pages and visa sticker")
• Valid Canadian document proving visa status
• Canadian police report of the lost passport and original passport "Verification Report" from the issuing passport office (if the passport has been lost) (Pakistan n.d.f).

Pakistan's MoFA notes that it is "mandatory" for both parents of any applicant under 18 years to be present at the time of the MRP application submission to the Pakistani High Commission in Ottawa (Pakistan n.d.f). The same source adds that if one of the parents is unable to be present, the absent parent's "legal consent / [No Objection Certificate (NOC)] form should be brought in original" (Pakistan n.d.f). The same source provides the following required documents for MRP applicants under the age of 18:

• Original and photocopy of a valid CNIC, NICOP, Smart NICOP, or CRC;
• Original and photocopy of the birth certificate;
• Original of the previous Pakistani passport, and photocopies of pages 1 to 4 and page 7 (The minor applicant "whose name was endorsed" on their parent's manual passport "should produce that passport in original");
• Original and photocopy of the CNICs of the applicant's mother and father;
• Original Canadian police report of the lost passport and original passport "[v]erification [r]eport" from the issuing passport office (if the passport has been lost)
• Original and photocopy of a valid Canadian document proving residence status in Canada, including a PR card, passport, citizenship card or certificate, or visa (if the Canadian visa status is "not valid," original and photocopy of the Canadian landing paper and one of the following must also be provided: expired PR card, expired Canadian passport, expired "study/multiple/super/work visa") (Pakistan n.d.f).

The same source adds that the following documents must be stapled together in the order listed:

• Original and photocopy of the certified cheque / bank draft / money order
• CRC or NICOP or Smart NICOP
• First four pages of the previous Pakistani passport
• Birth certificate
• CNIC/NICOP/Smart NICOP of the applicant's mother and father
• NOC form (in case of absence of one parent)
• Original and photocopy of a document proving valid Canadian visa status
• Police report and passport "[v]erification [r]eport" (if passport has been lost) (Pakistan n.d.f).

The information on the application process at the High Commission in Ottawa in the following paragraph was provided by Pakistan's MoFA:

The High Commission staff will check that the applicant has submitted all the required documents and that the photocopies have been stapled in the requested order. The staff then record the applicant's biometric data, take their photograph, and complete data entry of the applicant's information. The applicant will be interviewed. Once the decision has been made to issue the passport, the passport must be collected within 30 days for normal applications and 15 days for urgent applications (Pakistan n.d.f).

Pakistan's MoFA states that "[o]nly blood relatives" with a "hand written and duly signed authorization from the applicant" can pick up the MRP if the applicant is unable to attend themselves (Pakistan n.d.f). The same source adds that the applicant can provide a "pre-paid self-addressed registered courier envelope" to receive their MRP by courier (Pakistan n.d.f).

Pakistan's Consulate General in Toronto notes that passports for dual nationals of Pakistan and Canada "could take" over 90 business days to process, as such cases are "referred to Islamabad for their report/clearance" (Pakistan n.d.a).

The weblink to Pakistan's e-Services Portal for online MRP renewal is available on the websites of Pakistan's consulates general in Toronto (Pakistan n.d.a) and in Vancouver (Pakistan n.d.g). The Consulate General in Vancouver notes that the link is "only" for MRP renewal (Pakistan n.d.g). The same source adds that the e-Services Portal cannot be used to obtain a new MRP, "modif[y]" an existing MRP, "[r]eprint" a passport with all pages "utilized," or replace a lost passport; according to the source, these cases require the applicant to apply in person (Pakistan n.d.g).

Pakistan's Consulate General in Toronto indicates that an MRP "can be renewed 7 months before expiry" (Pakistan n.d.a).

4.4.1 Fees

Pakistan's Consulate General in Toronto lists the following fees for obtaining a new MRP, or replacing a lost MRP for the first or second time:

(Pakistan n.d.a)

5. E-Passport

According to DGI&P, [on 30 March 2022 (Pakistan 30 Mar. 2022)] Pakistan launched its first e-Passport, which contains "an electronic chip" "used to store biometric information about the holder" (Pakistan 6 Apr. 2022). The same source reports that the e-Passport "will initially be available for diplomatic and government passports" (Pakistan 6 Apr. 2022).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Note

[1] Sources report that the Lahore High Court "struck down" paragraph 51 of the Passport and Visa Manual 2006 (Dawn 11 Feb. 2022; The Nation 11 Feb. 2022), which "allo[ws] authorities to blacklist the passport of a person" (The Nation 11 Feb. 2022) or which "the federal government invokes to blacklist citizens" (Dawn 11 Feb. 2022). Sources also state that the presiding judge noted that Pakistan's Passports Act of 1974 also does not provide for "blacklisting" (Dawn 11 Feb. 2022; The Nation 11 Feb. 2022). Information on the implementation of this decision could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

References

Australia. 25 January 2022. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). DFAT Country Information Report: Pakistan. [Accessed 15 Mar. 2022]

Dawn. 11 February 2022. Wajih Ahmad Sheikh. "Passports Act Has No Provision to Blacklist Citizens, Says Judge." [Accessed 11 Mar. 2022]

Dawn. 29 January 2021. Anwar Iqbal. "Pakistan to Stop Manual Visas from Next Month." [Accessed 15 Mar. 2022]

European Union (EU). 1 July 2021a. Public Register of Authentic Identity and Travel Documents Online (PRADO). "Document: PAK-AO-02004." [Accessed 18 Mar. 2022]

European Union (EU). 1 July 2021b. Public Register of Authentic Identity and Travel Documents Online (PRADO). "Document: PAK-AO-02003." [Accessed 18 Mar. 2022]

The Nation 11 February 2022. "LHC Strikes Down Para 51 of Passport and Visa Manual 2006." [Accessed 11 Mar. 2022]

Pakistan. 6 April 2022. Ministry of Interior, Directorate General of Immigration and Passports (DGI&P). "E-Passport." [Accessed 28 June 2022]

Pakistan. 30 March 2022. Ministry of Interior, Directorate General of Immigration and Passports (DGI&P). "Inauguration of E-Passport." [Accessed 28 June 2022]

Pakistan. 27 December 2021. Ministry of Interior, Directorate General of Immigration and Passports (DGI&P). "E-Services: Online Machine Readable Passport (MRP)." [Accessed 4 Mar. 2022]

Pakistan. 15 November 2021a. Ministry of Interior, Directorate General of Immigration and Passports (DGI&P). "Passport Types." [Accessed 4 Mar. 2022]

Pakistan. 15 November 2021b. Ministry of Interior, Directorate General of Immigration and Passports (DGI&P). "General Requirements for Passport." [Accessed 4 Mar. 2022]

Pakistan. 15 November 2021c. Ministry of Interior, Directorate General of Immigration and Passports (DGI&P). "Passport Application Process." [Accessed 4 Mar. 2022]

Pakistan. N.d.a. Consulate General of Pakistan, Toronto. "Guidelines to Apply New or Renewal of Passports." [Accessed 11 Mar. 2022]

Pakistan. N.d.b. Ministry of Interior, Directorate General of Immigration and Passports (DGI&P). "E-Services Portal." [Accessed 3 Mar. 2022]

Pakistan. N.d.c. Ministry of Interior, Directorate General of Immigration and Passports (DGI&P). "Requirements for Processing of MRP Through Online Service." [Accessed 3 Mar. 2022]

Pakistan. N.d.d. Ministry of Interior, Directorate General of Immigration and Passports (DGI&P). "Capturing and Uploading Your Photograph." [Accessed 3 Mar. 2022]

Pakistan. N.d.e. Ministry of Interior, Directorate General of Immigration and Passports (DGI&P). "Application Fee." [Accessed 3 Mar. 2022]

Pakistan. N.d.f. Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA). "Ottawa Consular Affairs." [Accessed 10 Mar. 2022]

Pakistan. N.d.g. Consulate General of Pakistan, Vancouver. "Consular Services – Passport." [Accessed 11 Mar. 2022]

Additional Sources Consulted

Internet sites, including: Austrian Red Cross – ecoi.net; Belgium – Commissariat général aux réfugiés et aux apatrides; The Economic Times; Emirates 24|7; EU – Council of the EU, European Council; Factiva; France – Office français de protection des réfugiés et apatrides; Gulf News; The New Humanitarian; Norway – Landinfo; Switzerland – State Secretariat for Migration; UK – Home Office; US – Department of State.