How Long Does a Pakistan Passport Take? Normal 21, Urgent 5, Fast Track 2 Working Days

The Directorate General of Immigration and Passports (DGIP) lists three delivery times for a machine readable passport: Fast Track takes 2 working days in 47 cities, Urgent takes 5 working days and Normal takes 21 working days. The count starts after your application is processed, and courier time is extra.

A flight is booked, the passport expires in six weeks, and the only question that matters is how many days the office needs. We opened the DGIP passport, FAQ and e-Passport pages on 15 October 2026 to answer it. One of those pages contradicts itself, and the e-Passport page gives no delivery days at all. Both points are covered below, so you can plan with the right numbers.

DGIP lists 2, 5 and 21 working days for a machine readable passport

DGIP's application priority table and its FAQ give the same three figures. Fast Track is 2 working days and is offered in 47 cities. Urgent is 5 working days. Normal is 21 working days. A higher fee buys the shorter time.

The fees are the DGIP rates for a 36 page, five year booklet. Larger booklets and ten year validity cost more, and the full list sits in the official passport fee rates. Children under 15 can only get five year validity, according to DGIP.

The delivery clock starts after your application is processed

DGIP says the times apply once an application has been successfully processed. A case held for extra documents or for a check on national status waits until the office has what it needs. The day you visit is therefore not day one.

DGIP's own process page names the usual causes of a hold. A minor's data form must be attested by a gazetted officer before the case moves. The office checks every applicant against the Exit Control List and the Black List. Doubt about national status can send a case to the security agencies, and the applicant may leave while that is done.

A fee that has been paid but has not yet reached the passport system can also delay the token. DGIP's FAQ says the system sometimes takes time to match fee payments from different banks, and it advises you to return later or the next working day. The steps for that case are in how to track a passport application.

The general guidelines on the same page still show 4 and 10 days

DGIP's general guidelines for passport offices say Urgent passports are delivered after four working days and Normal ones after ten. The priority table and the FAQ on the same site say 5 and 21. We use 5 and 21, because two pages agree on them.

We do not know why the older lines remain, and DGIP has not explained the gap. A planning habit helps: assume the longer figure. If you plan on 21 working days and the passport arrives in ten, you lose nothing. If you plan on ten and it takes 21, you may miss a flight.

DGIP gives no delivery days for the e-Passport

The DGIP e-Passport page lists fees and the security features of the chip, but it states no delivery days. It says only that Fast Track is not available for e-Passport delivery. Treat 5 and 21 days as machine readable figures until DGIP publishes e-Passport times.

This matters now. Reports said that Pakistan would stop issuing machine readable passports from 15 October 2026 and issue only e-Passports. We could not find a DGIP circular on its site to confirm that. Our report on the machine readable passport cut-off sets out what is reported and what is not. If you apply today and the office offers only an e-Passport, ask the counter for the delivery date and write it on your token.

Give DGIP your mobile number so the status reaches you

DGIP says applicants in Pakistan receive passport status by SMS from 9988, and overseas applicants by email, if they gave a valid number or address at data entry. Give your own number and check it on the printed form.

1. Give your mobile number and email at the data entry counter, and read them on the printed form.
2. Check the application type, priority and CNIC number on your QR token before you leave the counter.
3. Wait for the SMS from 9988 that tells you the passport has left the production facility.
4. Allow extra days for shipment to your office, since DGIP says dispatch from production and arrival at the office are different dates.
5. Collect the passport with the original token. DGIP says only the applicant or a blood relative can take it.

If you would rather not visit the office to collect it, home delivery through TCS is an option, though courier days are extra. For a child, the rules on parents and guardians are in the child passport guide.

Pick the category from your travel date, with a margin

Count the working days until you need the passport, then add a margin for holidays and courier time. Fast Track suits a window under 5 working days in the 47 cities, Urgent suits under 21, and Normal suits anything longer.

The extra amounts are our arithmetic from the DGIP fees. For overseas applicants using the online portal, DGIP says a Normal application can be converted to Urgent by paying the fee difference online.

Common questions about passport delivery time in Pakistan

How many days does a normal passport take in Pakistan?

DGIP lists 21 working days for a Normal machine readable passport. An older guideline on the same site says ten, so plan on 21.

Is Fast Track available in every city?

No. DGIP says Fast Track is available in 47 cities only. It also says Fast Track is not available for e-Passport delivery.

Does courier time count in the 5 or 21 days?

No. DGIP says courier time to remote areas within Pakistan and to missions abroad is not included in the stated time.

How do I check my passport status?

DGIP says status comes by SMS from 9988 or by email if you gave your details at data entry. You can also call the helpline on 051-111-344-777.

Can I change a Normal application to Urgent?

DGIP says overseas applicants can do this online by paying the fee difference. For applications at a Pakistani office, ask the counter before you pay.

Who can collect my passport?

DGIP says the passport is handed only to the applicant or a blood relative, with the original token.

How we verified this

What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.

Last checked 15 October 2026. We read the DGIP ordinary passport page, the DGIP FAQ page, the process page and the e-Passport page on that date. The delivery table, fees and 9988 status service come from those pages. We did not apply for a passport or time a delivery, and DGIP can change its figures without notice.