Register a Foreign Phone in Pakistan for 120 Days Without Tax
Overseas Pakistanis and visitors can register one phone for 120 days from arrival with no duty. See who qualifies, what you need and the steps. Apply early.
If you are an overseas Pakistani or a foreign visitor, PTA lets you register one personal phone for up to 120 days from your arrival, with no duties or taxes. Sign up at dirbs.pta.gov.pk/drs. You need a passport, a Pakistani SIM in your own name and the phone's IMEI.
Skip it, and a phone brought from abroad works on Pakistani networks only for a short time. After that it can be blocked until you pay tax and a fine. We read PTA's own FAQ document on the temporary scheme and its main DIRBS FAQ on 8 October 2026.
Who can use the 120 day facility
Any overseas Pakistani or foreign national visiting for a short stay can use it. Your arrival date must be confirmed by the FIA from your passport, and the 120 days count from that date, not from the day you apply.
The facility covers one mobile device per person. It is meant for your own phone, not for gifts or stock. A phone registered this way cannot be registered again under another person's passport.
| Point | What PTA says |
|---|---|
| Who | Overseas Pakistanis and foreigners on a short visit |
| Length | 120 days from the date of arrival |
| Devices | One mobile device per person |
| SIM | A Pakistani SIM issued in your name on your NICOP, CNIC or passport |
| Check on arrival | FIA validates your passport and arrival date |
| Next visit | Apply again with the same details |
What you need before you apply
Gather seven items first. PTA asks for your passport number, your CNIC or NICOP number if you hold one, a Pakistani mobile number in your name, the phone's IMEI, an email address, your arrival date and your planned departure date.
Dial *#06# on the phone to see its IMEI. A dual SIM phone shows two. An iPhone with an eSIM also shows more than one, and iPhone users can find them in Settings. Our guide on how to check an IMEI number explains each way.
The SIM is the part people miss. A foreign SIM cannot be used for this registration. It has to be a Pakistani SIM issued on your passport, NICOP or CNIC. If you do not have one, buy it after you land and before you register.
How to register your phone
Create an account on the DIRBS Device Registration System at dirbs.pta.gov.pk/drs, enter your details and submit the phone. PTA checks your passport and arrival with the FIA. The steps below follow its FAQ.
- Land in Pakistan and keep your passport with the arrival stamp or entry record.
- Get a Pakistani SIM in your own name from any mobile operator.
- Note your phone's IMEI by dialling *#06#.
- Sign up for a DIRBS account at dirbs.pta.gov.pk/drs.
- Enter the passport, SIM, IMEI, email and travel dates, then submit.
- Wait for approval, then restart the phone and check that it has signal.
PTA's FAQ gives no fixed approval time for this scheme, so do not wait. Apply in your first week.
Apply early because late applications get fewer days
The 120 days run from arrival, so every day you wait is lost. PTA's own example: apply 30 days after you arrive and your phone is registered for the next 90 days only.
That matters if you stay for a wedding season or a long family visit. A stay of three months is fine. A stay of five months is not, and the phone needs normal registration after day 120.
The SIM pairing rule and what it blocks
Your phone is paired with the SIM numbers you list. If you put in a different SIM, the phone will not get service. You cannot swap in a cousin's SIM for a week.
If your phone has two slots and you listed one number, that number is paired with both IMEIs. To use a second number later, add it to the same DRS account. PTA says you can then use any listed number in any slot.
Use a foreign SIM on roaming and you do not need to register at all. PTA's rules treat an international SIM as a roamer. Our article on whether a non-PTA phone works on roaming covers the abroad side of that.
What happens after the 120 days or if you sell the phone
After 120 days the temporary cover ends. To keep using the phone you register it in the normal way and pay the duties and taxes FBR sets. A gift or sale to someone in Pakistan needs the same normal registration by the new owner.
Normal registration for a traveller runs through the same portal, the *8484# USSD code from a phone with a local SIM, or a mobile operator's service centre. PTA says travellers should register within 60 days of arrival. After that it asks for tax plus a fine.
For the full 60 day rule and the customs side, read what you can bring in. Our page on bringing a phone into Pakistan and the 60 day PTA rule goes through it. To estimate the tax on a permanent registration, use the PTA tax calculator.
Common questions
Is there a fee for temporary registration?
PTA describes the facility as registration without duties and taxes for up to 120 days. We did not find any fee listed in the FAQ.
Can I register two phones?
No. The facility allows one mobile device per person under it.
Can I use my foreign SIM for the registration?
No. The SIM must be issued by a Pakistani operator in your name. A foreign SIM can still roam in Pakistan without registration.
Do I have to register again on my next visit?
Yes. A returning visitor applies again, using the same details as the first time.
What if my phone has an eSIM or two IMEIs?
All IMEIs on the phone matter. Register the phone and check every IMEI shown by *#06# in DVS.
My phone has no signal after approval. What now?
Restart it first. If service does not return in 24 hours and the status shows compliant, PTA tells users to complain through its Complaint Management System.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked 8 October 2026. We read PTA's FAQ document on the temporary registration of mobile devices for overseas Pakistanis and foreigners visiting on a short-term basis, dated 23 July 2025, and PTA's main DIRBS FAQ document updated 14 October 2025, both on pta.gov.pk. We also read PTA's press release announcing the temporary registration system, which gives the 120 day period and the sign-up address. The document list of seven required details, the one device limit, the SIM and passport conditions, the 90 day example for a late application, the reapplication rule for each visit, the 60 day rule for normal registration, the three ways to register and the 24 hour complaint advice are all taken from those pages. We did not test the portal with a real passport, and PTA does not state an approval time for the temporary scheme. Fees, deadlines and tax rates can change. Confirm them on dirbs.pta.gov.pk and with FBR before you pay anything.
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.
