Enter Pakistan Without a Visa: DGIP's Table Shows 5 Countries for Ordinary Passports, Not 49
Enter Pakistan without a visa: DGIP marks Maldives, Nepal, Western Samoa, Tonga and Trinidad and Tobago for ordinary passports, but its totals do not match.
Short answer: DGIP's visa abolition table shows that ordinary passport holders from only a few countries can enter Pakistan without a visa. The table marks Maldives for three months, Nepal for one month and Western Samoa for one month. Tonga and Trinidad and Tobago have no period printed.
A cousin in Kathmandu asks if he needs a visa to attend a wedding in Lahore. A host in Karachi hears that "49 countries" can enter without one and assumes the cousin is covered. The real list is much shorter for ordinary passports, and the page itself does not add up.
We read the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports (DGIP) visa categories page on 13 October 2026. It shows a last modified date of 14 September 2026. The table is headed "as on 21-02-2024", so check that it is still current before anyone travels.
The page claims 49 agreements but most cover official passports
DGIP says Pakistan has visa abolition or exemption agreements with 49 countries. Most of them cover diplomatic, official or service passports only. The summary line says 16 countries are diplomatic passports only, 39 are diplomatic and official, and 2 are ordinary passport holders of all nationals.
Those numbers add up to 57, not 49. The table also runs to 56 rows. We report the mismatch and do not pick one number. The lesson for a traveller is simple: an agreement for diplomats is not an agreement for ordinary tourists.
Five countries show ordinary passport entry in the table
The summary says two countries allow all nationals. The table rows tell a different story. We found five rows marked "All Nationals of the Country": Maldives with three months, Nepal with one month, Western Samoa with one month, and Tonga and Trinidad and Tobago with "un-specified period".
We treat the table rows as the more detailed source, but the summary line is DGIP's own count. Reports differ, so a visitor from any of these five countries should confirm at a Pakistan mission before flying. A refusal at the airport costs far more than an email.
| Country | Period printed | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Maldives | Three months | All nationals |
| Nepal | One month | All nationals |
| Western Samoa | One month | All nationals |
| Tonga | Unspecified | All nationals |
| Trinidad and Tobago | Unspecified | All nationals |
A wrong assumption can end a trip at the airport
A host who tells a guest that no visa is needed takes on a risk. If the airline checks the rule at check-in and finds nothing for that passport, the guest may not board. Ask the guest to carry a printout of the DGIP table and an email from the mission.
Hosts in Pakistan can also help by sending an invitation letter with a full address and phone number. DGIP does not list this as a rule for visa-free entry, but a clear address helps the officer at immigration. Keep the guest informed about the length of the free period, so that nobody overstays by mistake.
Everyone else needs a visa or an authorisation
For all other countries, DGIP says the entry route is a visa. Tourists from the 190 countries on List A apply for a three month visa, and 50 countries get visa on arrival, which the policy now calls "Visa in your Inbox". The full steps are in the guide to the Pakistan e-visa for foreign visitors.
Business visitors have their own route, with a five year visa for 96 listed countries. A person of Pakistan origin should look at the family visit visa instead.
After the free period, you need an extension
DGIP says that after the exempt period ends, a visa extension is needed through the Ministry of Interior. A visitor who simply stays on pays the overstay surcharge, set out in the note on the overstay surcharge for foreigners.
Plan the stay so it ends inside the printed period. For Nepal that is one month. If the wedding runs long, ask the Regional Passport Office early. Do not wait for the last day of the month.
Check before you travel in four steps
Use these steps whenever a friend says that a country needs no visa for Pakistan. They take ten minutes and can save a ticket.
- Find your country in DGIP's visa abolition table.
- Read the passport type in the last column, not only the country name.
- Note the period. If none is printed, ask the mission.
- Carry your return ticket and proof of where you will stay.
Common questions
Which countries can enter Pakistan without a visa?
The DGIP table marks ordinary passport holders of Maldives, Nepal, Western Samoa, Tonga and Trinidad and Tobago. The page's own summary says only two countries.
How long can Maldivian citizens stay?
Three months, according to the DGIP table.
How long can Nepali citizens stay?
One month without a visa, according to the DGIP table. After that an extension is needed.
Do diplomatic passports count?
Yes, for many countries, but that is a separate arrangement and not open to ordinary visitors.
Is the list current?
The table says "as on 21-02-2024". The page was modified in September 2026, but we cannot say whether the table changed.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked on 13 October 2026. We read the DGIP visa categories page, including its visa abolition table. The page's totals do not match, and we could not confirm the table with a mission. We did not test entry at an airport.
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.
