ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Applications to renew Pakistani passports abroad will now take a little over 16 minutes instead of an entire day with the renewed document delivered at your doorstep.
Phase one of the system launched by the Pakistan’s ministry of interior for overseas Pakistanis went live last week. Officials said that introduction of the system would also reduce misuse of the passport and extortion by fake `agents.’
“UAE-based Pakistanis can avail of this 24-hour service as of now,” Rana Samar Javed, Acting Consul General of Pakistan told Khaleej Times.
Those with a passport validity of seven months can also apply for online renewal. Once applied, the documents will be processed in Islamabad and delivered at the location listed by the user within 10 days for a normal renewal and four days for urgent.
“This facility benefits overseas Pakistanis the most since they all have these travel documents and have to visit missions to renew their documents,” said Samar.
“This also means that people can save time by applying online instead of personally visiting the embassy in Abu Dhabi or consulate in Dubai,” he added.
Samar said that the consulate was making efforts to sensitize the public on this system. “It is a more respectable way of getting their documents renewed,” he said.
The e-Services Portal http://onlinemrp.dgip.gov.pk/ is linked to the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports for online service for Pakistani citizens around the world.
Pakistanis can apply for renewal of their Machine Readable Passport if the passport has expired or its validity is less than seven months.
However, the system works only for those with existing documents and not for new applications.
“People will have to visit the consulate in cases where they are applying for a new passport such as for a newborn, since there are no previous records,” explained Samar.
First time applicants will have to set up an account with complete credit/debit card details to be registered in the Pak identity system. They will also have to provide supporting documents such as a computerized National Identity Card and copies of the previous passport.
The website explains the procedures to be followed including how to take a photo and capture fingerprints.
In August this year, the consulate introduced the online appointment system for passport and ID card renewal. The consul general said that at least 300 appointments were made on a daily basis initially.
