Passport delays frustrate Pakistanis amid surging demand

Pakistanis trying to obtain passports are facing delays of up to two months as passport processing services buckle under a record surge in demand, leaving thousands stranded and frustrated despite paying for expedited services.

Reports indicate that applicants are growing increasingly anxious, with delays affecting a wide array of individuals — from patients needing urgent medical care abroad to students awaiting enrollment at foreign universities, and workers seeking international employment opportunities. For many, obtaining a passport has become an agonizing process.

The Ministry of Interior, responsible for passport issuance, confirmed a backlog in its report obtained by Nukta. According to the Ministry, daily applications have surged to between 45,000 and 50,000, but the country’s facilities can print only 20,000 to 22,000 passports each day.

This significant shortfall has created a backlog of nearly 30,000 applications daily, and with no immediate resolution, delays are expected to persist.

Despite a growing network of 223 regional passport offices and facilities in 93 diplomatic missions abroad, demand has far exceeded capacity. The machine-readable passport (MRP) system, initiated in Pakistan in 2004 with only 30 regional offices, expanded substantially to accommodate increased passport requests.

However, the Ministry has acknowledged that the scaling of printing capacity has not kept pace with surging demand, especially as more Pakistanis are heading abroad for work, study, and medical care.

To tackle the crisis, the Ministry of Interior has initiated emergency measures to reduce the backlog, including 24/7 operations with printing teams working in three shifts. Passport printing has been concentrated in major urban centers, such as Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, and Multan, to streamline distribution to regional offices. Yet, the persistent delays are raising concerns among applicants who say they are struggling with the financial burden of urgent passport fees.

High fees add to public frustration

The Ministry has categorized passport processing fees to offer varied service levels: Normal, Urgent, and Fast Track, each with differing wait times. Charges range from PKR 4,500 for a five-year, 36-page normal passport, to PKR 16,200 for a fast-track, 10-year passport. E-passports, introduced as part of a broader effort to streamline global travel for Pakistanis, are available for PKR 9,000 for standard service and PKR 15,000 for urgent processing.

One applicant shared, "Even after paying PKR 12,500 for a fast-track passport, I’ve waited over two months without any update." Such stories have become common as citizens voice their frustration, urging the government to reform the system and deliver promised efficiency.

Upgrades and procurement of new equipment

To address the bottleneck, the Immigration and Passport Department initiated the purchase of new equipment in early 2024. Assistant Director Mohammad Najibur Rahman stated that 20 DILETTA printers and laminators, expected to significantly increase printing speed, are set to arrive this month following approval from the Federal Government's austerity committee.

Six additional desktop printers and two e-passport machines ordered in July are also anticipated to arrive by November 2024.

The combined cost of the new printers, laminators, and passport readers is estimated at PKR 218 million. Once operational, Rahman said, this new equipment will double the department’s current capacity, aiming to clear the backlog and ensure timely service.

"With these new printers and laminators, we expect to eliminate the backlog in the coming months," Rahman stated, assuring that relief is on the horizon for the thousands of applicants in limbo.