Family Visit Visa for an Afghan Spouse of a Pakistani: Five Years, Pakistan Visa Policy
Pakistan's visa policy for Afghans allows a family visit visa of up to five years for a spouse of Pakistani origin. See who is covered, the proof and extension.
An Afghan national married to a person of Pakistani origin can be given a family visit visa of up to five years, with multiple entries and a stay of up to one year each time. The immigration directorate's Afghan visa policy says any Pakistan mission abroad may issue it on legal proof of the marriage, and that the couple's children are covered too.
We read the family visit section of the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports (DGI&P) page for Afghan nationals on 22 October 2026 and again on 8 November 2026. It still shows 4 October 2023 as its last change, so use it as the published rule and confirm details with the mission before you apply.
The visa covers an Afghan spouse and children of a person of Pakistani origin
The policy says Pakistan missions abroad may grant up to five years of family visit visa, with multiple entries, to Afghan nationals who have a spouse of Pakistani origin. Their children are covered in the same category. Each stay may not be longer than one year.
The page uses the words Pakistani origin and does not define them. It does not say whether the spouse must hold a Pakistani passport or a Pakistan Origin Card. Ask the mission how it reads those words for your case.
| Point | What the page says |
|---|---|
| Who | Afghan national with a spouse of Pakistani origin, and their children |
| Where to apply | Pakistan missions abroad |
| Validity | Up to five years, multiple entry |
| Each stay | Not more than one year |
| Proof | Legal documents that prove the marriage |
| Extension | Up to one year, multiple entry, with proof of marriage |
You must prove the marriage with legal documents
The page says the visa is granted on the provision of legal documents that prove the marriage. It does not list the documents. A nikah nama with its Marriage Registration Certificate is the usual proof, but ask the mission what it accepts.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs sets its own rules for attesting that proof, which we read on 8 November 2026:
| Where the marriage took place | What MOFA asks for |
|---|---|
| In Pakistan, with a foreign spouse | Original nikah nama and Marriage Registration Certificate, plus a copy of the foreign spouse's passport, Pakistani visa and date of entry into Pakistan |
| Abroad | Nikah nama or marriage certificate attested by that country's foreign office and countersigned by the Pakistani mission there |
MOFA says it will not attest a nikah nama for a marriage with a foreign national without the passport, visa and entry details. Keep those papers from the first trip.
If the nikah was registered in Pakistan, you can get a copy of the nikah nama from the union council. For a marriage document used abroad, see how to attest a nikah nama with the Foreign Office. The directorate page does not require either step by name.
The children are covered in the same category, so keep a record that links each child to the couple. A child who was registered in Pakistan will have a NADRA B-Form. For a child born elsewhere, ask the mission which birth record it will accept. Carry the original records as well as copies, in case the mission asks to see them.
Extension in Pakistan runs up to one year at a time
The page says the family visit visa can be extended for up to one year with multiple entries, again on proof of marriage, under intimation to the security agencies. That line does not name the office, but the same page gives visit visa extensions to the Ministry of Interior. It does not give a fee or a form.
The usual place to ask is a regional passport office, and the steps for any nationality are in our guide to extending a Pakistan visa. Apply before the stay ends. The same Afghan policy page allows an exit permit with no overstay charge for up to 14 days of overstay, and charges after that.
A family visit visa is not a work permit or citizenship
The Afghan policy page says a visit visa holder cannot take a job, run a business or study in Pakistan, and that using a visa for another purpose cancels it. Marriage to a Pakistani also does not give citizenship by itself, as our note on the foreign husband of a Pakistani wife explains.
The wider rules for any foreign spouse are in the guide to the Pakistan family visit visa. Where it differs from the Afghan page, follow the mission's answer for your own case. The other eight routes for Afghans, from the 45 day visit visa to the exit permit, are in our guide to Pakistan's visa policy for Afghan nationals.
- Collect proof of marriage and the passports of the whole family.
- Ask the Pakistan mission which documents it accepts for Afghan applicants.
- Apply at the mission and keep the receipt.
- On arrival, check the number of entries and the length of each stay on the visa.
- Apply to extend before the stay ends.
Common questions
How long is the family visit visa for an Afghan spouse?
Up to five years with multiple entries, and each stay may not be more than one year, according to the directorate's Afghan visa policy page.
Are children included?
Yes. The page says the children of the couple are covered under the category.
Which documents prove the marriage?
The page says only legal documents that prove the marriage. It does not list them, so ask the mission.
Can the visa be extended inside Pakistan?
Yes. The page allows an extension of up to one year with multiple entries, on proof of marriage. Visit visa extensions on the same page are approved by the Ministry of Interior.
Can an Afghan spouse work on this visa?
No. The page says a visit visa holder cannot hold a job or run a business. Use the work visa route for that.
Does marriage give an Afghan spouse a Pakistani passport?
No, not by marriage alone. Citizenship has its own rules and forms at the same directorate.
How we verified this
What we checked and where we read it.
Last checked 8 November 2026. The validity, stay limit, covered family members, proof and extension come from the DGI&P Visa Policy for Afghanistan page, which shows 4 October 2023 as its last modified date. The nikah nama attestation rules come from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs page on attestation of documents.
About the author
Public Services and Education Journalist
Fajr Riaz is a journalist and content writer at Pakistan Era, based in Lahore. She covers the questions people meet in everyday life in Pakistan: how a public service works, what a change in the rules means, and where to find a reliable answer.
