PRC for Freelancers in Pakistan: Get Your e-PRC or Yearly S-PRC From Your Bank or SadaPay
Proceeds Realisation Certificate for freelancers in Pakistan: get an e-PRC or yearly S-PRC from your bank or SadaPay, what to check, and the Rs 464 fee.
A freelancer in Pakistan gets a Proceeds Realisation Certificate (PRC) from the bank or wallet that received the foreign payment: banks issue an electronic e-PRC for each credit and a yearly statement, the S-PRC, under State Bank of Pakistan instructions. Ask for the S-PRC covering 1 July to 30 June when you file your tax return, and keep the e-PRCs for single payments.
The PRC is the paper trail that shows your Upwork, Fiverr or client money came from abroad and was converted into rupees in Pakistan. Below is what the certificate is, how to get it from a bank portal and from SadaPay, what details to have ready, what it costs for old transactions, and how officials check it. We read the State Bank's press release on e-PRCs, Bank AL Habib's PRC page and SadaPay's help article on 31 October 2026.
A PRC proves your foreign income reached Pakistan in rupees
The State Bank of Pakistan describes the PRC as proof that funds such as export proceeds and workers' remittances were received from abroad and realised in Pakistan in rupees. Since 2022, banks issue it electronically in a standard format with a unique number that officials can verify online.
There are two kinds, and you will usually want both:
| Certificate | What it covers | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| e-PRC | One foreign credit to your account | Proof for a single client payment |
| S-PRC (Statement of PRCs) | Every foreign credit in a period within the year | Your tax return and yearly records |
The State Bank says verifying agencies, including the Federal Board of Revenue, Pakistan Customs and the State Bank itself, can check e-PRCs and S-PRCs on the banks' online verification portals. That is why a PRC carries more weight than a bank statement alone.
Freelancers need the PRC for tax and for the reduced IT export rate
Your PRCs show the Federal Board of Revenue that income came from abroad as export earnings, not from local sales. A registered IT exporter claiming the reduced tax rate the Pakistan Software Export Board lists will want the same proof. Keep the yearly S-PRC with your return records every year.
The reduced rate and the registration that unlocks it are covered in PSEB registration and the 0.25% rate. The filing steps, including where foreign income goes on the return, are in how a freelancer files an income tax return.
The extended return deadline for tax year 2026 is 31 October 2026. If you are filing late, the penalties are set out in late tax return penalties after 31 October, and a missing PRC is not a reason to miss the return: file, then add the certificate when your bank issues it.
How to get an e-PRC or S-PRC from your bank
Most banks now issue PRCs through an online portal or internet banking, and some email them. Bank AL Habib, for example, says customers receive the PRC digitally as soon as a remittance is credited, through its portal at eprc.bankalhabib.com. Other banks use their own portals or branch requests.
- Note the date and amount of each foreign payment from your bank statement.
- Open your bank's e-PRC portal or internet banking and look for PRC or remittance certificate.
- Download the e-PRC for each credit, or ask for it by email to your registered address.
- Request the S-PRC for the tax year, 1 July to 30 June.
- Check the name, amounts in dollars and rupees, and the exchange rate on each one.
- If your bank has no portal, ask the branch's foreign remittance desk in writing.
Bank AL Habib says PRCs are issued only against overseas remittances, and only to the beneficiary whose account or cash over the counter received the money. If a payment reached you through a local transfer instead, such as from a friend's account, it will not have a PRC.
SadaPay issues PRCs through in-app chat in up to 3 working days
SadaPay says to request a remittance certificate through in-app chat with eight details about the payment. It allows up to 3 working days. For transactions older than one year, SadaPay charges Rs 464 including tax, following a change by its partner bank.
| Detail SadaPay asks for | Where to find it |
|---|---|
| Beneficiary name | Your name as on the account |
| Beneficiary account number and bank | Your SadaPay account details |
| Amount credited in rupees | The transaction in the app |
| Amount in foreign currency | The payer's or platform's record |
| Date of credit | The transaction in the app |
| Transfer number | The transaction reference |
| Purpose code | The code on the incoming payment |
Ask for PRCs within the same year to avoid the Rs 464 charge. For a whole year of freelance payments, that fee would add up quickly if each one is requested late.
When your PRC is missing or wrong
If a foreign credit has no PRC, the money most likely did not arrive as a foreign remittance, or the bank booked it under another code. Ask the bank how the credit was recorded. If the name or amount on a PRC is wrong, ask for a corrected certificate before you use it.
Check three things on every PRC: your name exactly as on your CNIC and account, the foreign currency amount, and the conversion rate. An official checking it on the bank's verification portal will compare those details with the bank's record.
If your bank refuses to issue a PRC for a payment it received from abroad, complain to the bank in writing first. The next step for a bank that does not resolve it is the Banking Mohtasib, explained in filing a Banking Mohtasib complaint.
Common questions
What is a PRC for freelancers in Pakistan?
A Proceeds Realisation Certificate from your bank. It proves that a payment came from abroad and was converted into rupees in Pakistan.
What is the difference between e-PRC and S-PRC?
An e-PRC covers one foreign credit. An S-PRC is a statement listing every foreign credit in a chosen period of the year.
Does a PRC cost anything?
Bank AL Habib does not mention a fee on its PRC page. SadaPay charges Rs 464 including tax for transactions older than one year.
How long does SadaPay take to issue a PRC?
Up to 3 working days after you send the details through in-app chat.
Can FBR check my PRC online?
Yes. The State Bank says verifying agencies, including the FBR, can access banks' online verification portals for e-PRCs and S-PRCs.
Is this PRC the same as the NADRA or Sindh PRC?
No. That PRC is a Permanent Residence Certificate for domicile. This one is a bank's Proceeds Realisation Certificate for foreign income.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked 31 October 2026. We read the State Bank of Pakistan press release of 6 August 2022 on electronic PRCs, Bank AL Habib's PRC page and SadaPay's remittance certificate article on 31 October 2026. The State Bank's circular behind the press release would not open for us, so the bank-side rules here come from the press release and the two providers' pages. Other banks' portals, fees and timings are not covered, and we did not request a PRC.
About the author
Technology Journalist & Multimedia Producer
Ahmad Ali is a technology journalist and multimedia producer at Pakistan Era, joining the team in October 2026. He covers consumer technology and digital life for Pakistani readers, combining research with hands-on product testing.
