passport significance

A Pakistani passport (Urdu: پاکستانی پاسپورٹ) is an essential travel document granted by the Government of Pakistan to its citizens for international travel purposes. The Directorate General of Immigration & Passports (DGIP) holds the responsibility for passport issuance, under the regulation of the Ministry of Interior.Pakistani citizens can apply for passport issuance and renewal through regional passport offices and Pakistani embassies. Renewals can also be applied online on the DGIP website. Effective January 2014, Pakistani passports are available with either a 5-year or 10-year validity, whereas children under the age of 15 are only eligible for a 5-year validity passport. It's important to note that under national law, Pakistani passports are explicitly not valid for travel to Israel. However, Pakistani travelers can visit Israel after obtaining confirmation from the Israeli Foreign Ministry.
Pakistan issues two types of passports: machine-readable passports and e-passports. Prior to 2004, Pakistani passports had handwritten bearer details and a passport photo affixed to the cover page. Since then, passports have evolved, with identity information now printed on both the front and back cover pages, which are laminated to prevent unauthorized alterations. In 2004, Pakistan began issuing machine-readable passports, but they did not initially comply with the United Nations' ICAO standards to be considered as "electronic passports" due to a lack of necessary contactless chips and symbols ().Pakistani passports are printed at the DGIP headquarters in Islamabad, the capital city.
On March 30, 2022, former Prime Minister Imran Khan launched the e-passport, which includes 29 new security features. Initially, e-passports were available only to diplomatic and government officials. Ordinary e-passport issuance was approved on December 30, 2022, with issuance commencing on January 1, 2023. In the initial production phase, these passports were exclusively available to residents of Islamabad, who could apply for them at the Directorate General of Immigration & Passports headquarters in Islamabad. Since August 16, 2023, Pakistani e-passports are accessible from any field office across the country.

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