Pakistan's UAE Missions Switch to E-Passports, With Fees From Dh145
All new passport applications at Pakistan's embassy in Abu Dhabi and consulate general in Dubai are now being processed as e-passports. The change took effect Friday, October 23, 2026, the missions announced, with normal renewal fees starting at Dh145 for a five-year, 36-page document.
Mariam Al Mansoori
Renewal and name requirements
The missions' public notice said e-passport issuance "has started and will continue" at both offices. Holders of valid Machine Readable Passports (MRPs) do not have to replace them because of the change: those documents remain valid through their printed expiration dates.
The missions advised applicants to seek renewal only once fewer than six months remain on their passports. E-passport applications also require both a first and a last name, a requirement that applicants with only one name in their current passports should be ready to meet.
More than two million Pakistanis live in the UAE, forming its second-largest expatriate community. They include professionals, business owners and workers in a range of industries. Many regard the Emirates as a second home after living there for years or generations, contributing to the UAE's development while also supporting Pakistan through remittances.
Normal, urgent and replacement fees
The amount payable depends on page count, passport validity, processing speed and whether the application replaces a lost passport. All charges are in UAE dirhams.
For standard renewals under normal processing, a 36-page passport costs Dh145 with five-year validity or Dh215 with 10-year validity. The corresponding fees for a 72-page passport are Dh260 and Dh390.
Urgent service costs more in every category, and lost-passport replacements carry higher charges. For a second loss involving a 72-page passport, urgent processing costs Dh1,700 for a five-year document and Dh2,540 for a 10-year document.
What the e-passport contains
Pakistan's Directorate General of Immigration & Passports (DGIP) describes the e-passport as a chip-based travel document. Embedded in one page is a contactless NFC chip holding the owner's biometrics, the personal information shown on the data page, a unique identification number and a digital signature.
The passport meets ICAO standards and supports the use of airport e-gates. Its security measures include laser engraving and features detectable under infrared and ultraviolet light. Pakistan's Interior Ministry has cited roughly 29 new security features in the document.
The rollout and the UAE delay
Pakistan inaugurated the e-passport on March 30, 2022, with a soft launch limited to diplomatic and official categories. Issuance became available at every field office across Pakistan on August 16, 2023. The DGIP said at the time that foreign missions would receive the service in due course.
The UAE launch was initially set for July 20, 2026. According to Gulf News, the Abu Dhabi embassy announced a postponement on July 19, citing "unavoidable technical and administrative reasons".
That postponement left e-passport applications suspended pending a new launch date. At the time, the embassy said MRP issuance and renewal would continue without interruption. The October 23 start brings e-passport processing to both UAE missions.
