9.

OFFICIAL/GRATIS PASSPORT: (a). Official / Gratis :- Such passport shall be issued to the following categories of persons:i) Members of the National Assembly and Member of the Senate; their spouses, parents and dependent, un-married children upto 28* years of age. Wafaqi Mohtasib, Judges of the Supreme Court, High Courts and Shariat Court, Chief Election Commissioner, Auditor General of Pakistan, Chairman, FPSC, Chairman FST, Members Election Commission of Pakistan*, their spouses and dependent un-married children upto 28* years of age.
*Included vide Interior Division’s letter No. 3/53/2011-Pass dated 15-11-2011.

ii)

iii)

Provincial Ministers and Advisers to the Provincial Governments with the status of Provincial Minister / Speakers / Deputy Speakers of the Provincial Assemblies. Former elected Federal Ministers / Ministers of State and their spouses. Speaker’s of the Provincial Assemblies, their spouses and dependent un-married children upto 28* years of age. Retired Chairman Joint Chief of Staff Committee and all three Services Chiefs (four star Generals) including their spouses and dependent un-married children upto 28* years of age. Federal Secretaries and Officers in BPS-22, Additional Secretaries, Senior Joint Secretaries, Chief Secretaries of the Provinces, BPS-21 officers of APUG being eligible for posting as Additional Secretary in the Federal Government, officers of Armed Forces of equivalent ranks and their spouses. Dependent un-married children upto (28) twenty eight years of age of Federal Secretaries. (M/o letter No. 1/1/2006-Pass dated 09-09-2008) Joint Secretaries of the Ministries / Divisions and Provincial Secretaries (in BPS-20 and above). Retired Federal Secretaries, Chief Secretaries of the provinces, Officers of the Armed Forces of equivalent rank and their spouses. All Government Servants including Career Ambassadors, who retire in BPS-22 and their spouses. Deputy Secretaries (B-19) of the Interior Division.

iii-a)

iii-b) iv)

v)

v-a v-b) v-c)

v-d

v-e)

vi)

Civil Servants and Armed Forces personnel residing in Pakistan and proceeding abroad on posting, secondment or on deputation with a foreign Government, the ECO or the UNO or its affiliated Organizations. Also their spouses and dependent un-married children upto 28* years of age accompanying or joining them. However, unmarried dependent daughters may be allowed official / gratis passport irrespective of age limit. Dependent parents may be issued official passports on payment of prescribed passport fee. Civil servants and Armed Forces personnel proceeding on official business, on training courses, study tours or to attend seminars. Officers employed in BPS-20 and above on contractual obligations, with the Federal / Provincial Governments, while proceeding on official business. The validity of passports shall be restricted to the period of their contract. Ex-Governors of the Provinces. Members of the Islamic Ideology Council. District Nazim while proceeding aboard as a member of an official delegation / entourage with validity for two years or till their tenure which ever is earlier.

vii)

viii)

ix) x) xi)

xii) (Retired) Judges of the Supreme Court and their spouses. Provided that the validity of passports issued to the persons mentioned at (vi) be restricted to the period of the posting / secondment or deputation and for all countries of the world except Israel. Provided further that for those mentioned in sub-para (vii) passports of full validity will be issued to officers of BPS-20 and above and restricted passports of at least 3 years to others. xiii) Officers of the Senate and National Assembly in B-17 and above proceeding abroad on official visit for the period of their visit abroad and entitled for issuance of Official/Gratis passport.
(M/o Interior letter No.11/5/2012-Pass(P&C) dated 25.04.2013)

(xiv) xv) xvi)

Minister for Interior, spouse and dependent un-married children upto 28* years of age for life. Secretary Interior, spouse and dependent un-married children upto 28* years of age for life. “Minister of State for Interior, spouse and dependent un-

married children up to 28* years of age for life”.
(*Revised Interior Division letter No. 3/80/2008-Pass dt 17-07-2008)(age 25 to 28 years).

xvii) (b)

Director General, Directors of Immigration & Passports

Official: This category of passport shall be issued to the following categories of persons on payment of prescribed fee: i-a) i-b) i-c) i-d) i-e) i-f) Employees of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission proceeding abroad for training etc. Employees of A Q Khan Research Labs. Employees of Project Management Organization proceeding abroad for training etc. Employees of FPSC proceeding abroad for training etc. Employees of National Development Complex (NDC) proceeding abroad in connection with official work. Employees of National Engineering and Scientific Commission (NESCOM) while proceedings abroad on training etc. Employees of Air Weapon Complex (AWC) while proceedings abroad on training etc. Employees of Maritime Technology Complex (MTC) Constituent Organization of NESCOM while proceedings abroad on training etc. Employees of Pakistan Nuclear Regularities Authority (PNRA) while proceedings abroad on training etc. Employees of Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), while proceedings abroad on training etc. Employee of National Command Authority (NCA). Officials of PTV and Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation going abroad for covering President’s / Prime Minister’s foreign visits. Civil Servants on deputation with autonomous / semi autonomous bodies of Corporations proceeding abroad in connection with official work of the borrowing body. Spouses and dependent, un-married children upto twentyeight (28) years of age of Civil Servants and Armed Forces Personnel (BPS-17 to 21) proceeding abroad for official training / courses longer than nine (09) months. However, un-married dependent daughters may also be allowed

i-g)

i-h)

i-j)

i-k)

i-l) ii)

iii)

iii-a)

official Passports irrespective of age limit.
(M/o letter No. 3/48/2005-Pass dated 20-06-2011)

iv)

Heads of autonomous bodies or Corporations, either permanent or on contractual basis in B-20 and above proceeding abroad in connection with the official work of that body. Governors/ Deputy Governors of the State Bank of Pakistan. Employee of DESTO. Employees of NCP (National Centre for Physics)
(M/o letter No. 1/1/2006-Pass dated 09-09-2008)

v)

vi) vii) viii)

Members of Competition Commission of Pakistan
(MOI letter No. 3/8/2011-Pass dt 14-03-2011)

Provided that the validity of passports issued to the above categories of persons except at sub-para (i-b), be restricted to a period of at least three years or for the period of their visits abroad for all countries of the world except Israel. The term “employee” covers all types of employees including contract employees. (c) Ordinary Gratis Ordinary passport may be stamped with word “GRATIS” on the first page of the booklet. Such passports may be issued to the following categories of persons :i) Non-officials whose visit to foreign countries have been sponsored by a Provincial or the Federal Government. Boy scouts travelling as such in uniform to overseas scouts gatherings, provided that their applications for passports are forwarded by the National Headquarters of the Pakistan Boy Scouts Association. Such passports should be of restricted period of validity and should be returned to the issuing authority for cancellation on return of scouts contingent.

ii)

One or more than one servant, subject to entitlement, to accompany or join the persons mentioned at para 1 (sub-para vi) above. Provided that the validity of passport issued to the above categories of persons be restricted to a minimum period of one year or for the period of their visit abroad valid for all countries of the world except Israel. Saving “Notwithstanding the provisions of para 1 above, the Federal Government may exempt any person or class of persons from all or any of the provisions of para 9 in the public interest”.

iii)

Note : (i) Such passports issued to Government servants or the members of their family or their dependents, as long as they are wholly dependent, may not be withdrawn after performance of the specific duty for which they were issued or after termination of their service or on retirement. After retirement or termination of service of a Government servant he and the members of his family and his dependents may be allowed to use such passports for private visits abroad. However, fee for renewals, additions, alteration etc. shall be charged. When a person is no longer in Government service, he should be required to get his ‘profession’ amended in his passport. To ensure this, free passports to Government servants should bear the following remarks:“ To be produced on retirement or termination of service to the nearest issuing authority for amendment in the passport”. (iv) Fee may be charged for issuance of passports in lieu of the gratis passports that are issued in place of diplomatic passports under paragraph 45 (a) & (c).

(ii)

(iii)

Provided that no fees will be charged if the holder’s case is covered by the provisions of para 9 and his case is recommended by any of the authorities and necessary proof thereof alongwith approval of concerned authority, wherever necessary, is furnished.

DIPLOMATIC PASSPORTS AND OTHER TRAVEL DOCUMENTS

45.

Diplomatic Passports Issuance of Diplomatic Passports is the responsibility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Machine Readable Diplomatic Passports shall be processed and Passports issued by Directorate General of Immigration & Passports (Headquarters), Islamabad based on authorization issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Following are the policy guidelines on the subject:-.

(A)

The class of persons entitled for diplomatic passports. Grant of diplomatic passports shall strictly be confined to the following persons:1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. The President of Pakistan The Prime Minister of Pakistan The Chairman of Senate The Speaker of the National Assembly The Chief Justice of Pakistan The Governors of Provinces The Chief Ministers of Provinces The Ministers (including Ministers of State of the Federal Government) The Attorney General of Pakistan i. Ex-Presidents and Ex-Prime Ministers. ii. Spouse and Dependent children of Ex-Prime Ministers. 11. 12. 13. Ex-Chairman of Senate and Ex-Speaker of National Assembly Special Assistants to the Prime Ministers The Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

9. 10.

14.

All functionaries of the Federal Government with the status of Minister/ Minister of State 15. (a) Officers of grade 17 and above of Pakistan Foreign Service for the duration of their membership of the PFS. (b) All other Officers of grade 17 and above, including officers of Armed Forces having equivalent ranks sent abroad on diplomatic assignments and having diplomatic status for the duration of their posting or other short term assignments abroad Pakistan nationals holding following offices in International Organisations: (i) (ii) President of the UN General Assembly President of the specialised agencies of the UN such as WHO, ILO, FAO, etc Executive heads of the Secretariat of such autonomous and subsidiary organisations of the General Assembly as have acquired eminence like WTO, UNIDO etc Directors representing Pakistan in the IBRD, IMF and the Asian Development Bank President & Vice Presidents of the World Bank and Managing Director & Directors of IMF. Officers holding the rank of Assistant Secretary General and above in the UN secretariat and its specialised agencies Secretary General of the ECO Secretary General of the OIC Secretariat Executive Director of the Islamic Development Bank

16.

(iii)

(iv)

(v)

(vi)

(vii) (viii) (ix) 17.

Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and Chiefs of Army, Naval and Air Staff

They will hold diplomatic passports as long as they hold the offices mentioned above. If they cease to hold such offices they may be required to surrender within 30-days their diplomatic passports and of spouse(s), (if they hold such passports) and may be given gratis ordinary passports valid for five years (one term only). The surrendered passports will be cancelled by the Additional Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, personally. The Prime Minister can authorise issuance of diplomatic passports in special cases. (B) Children of Diplomatic Passport Holders Children under 15 years of the persons mentioned in (A) above may be included in their passports. If they require separate passports, they will not be given diplomatic passports. They will, however, be entitled for official/gratis passports provided they are covered under Para 9 of Passport & Visa Manual. (C) Spouses of Diplomatic Passport Holders The spouse of person holding diplomatic passport is entitled to diplomatic passport. He / She will hold separate diplomatic passport but only so long as his / her spouse retains the prescribed office. Spouse may also be given gratis ordinary passport when his / her diplomatic passport is surrendered. The alien wife of a Pakistani diplomat should be accorded the same treatment as the alien wife of any other Pakistani. This means that if the nationality law does not allow her to secure a passport of the country to which she belonged, she should be allowed to obtain a diplomatic passport of restricted validity (not exceeding one year at a time) provided she gives a clear understanding that she will acquire Pakistan citizenship in Pakistan after obtaining a certificate of domicile and taking an oath of allegiance. If, however, she is able to secure a passport of her own country she shall retain that passport until she obtains a certificate of domicile under section 17 of the Pakistan Citizenship Act, 1951 which will entitle her to a Pakistani diplomatic passport. (D) Application for Diplomatic Passport All persons entitled to diplomatic passports will apply on form ‘A’ (Appendix I) and also furnish three copies of their photographs. They are not, however, required to complete the subsidiary declaration. No authority

other than the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will, in any circumstances, issue authorization for diplomatic passports. The passports, which will be serial numbered in a separate series, will in all cases be signed by Director General, Administration, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

(E)

Issue, Renewal, etc, of Diplomatic Passport Diplomatic passports will be granted gratis and they will be valid for a period of five years. Persons mentioned at serial number 15(A) above will, however, be granted diplomatic passports valid for three years which will be surrendered by them on relinquishing their posts in the first instance and be renewable, free of charge for a maximum period of another two years. Their total validity may not exceed 5 years from the date of issue. They may be renewed and added to or altered if necessary by Pakistan Passport Issuing Authorities abroad under intimation to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs provided the holder continues to occupy a post mentioned in (A) above. In case of doubt a reference must first be made to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In Pakistan any authority other than the Ministry of Foreign Affairs may not renew them.

(F)

Loss or Theft of Diplomatic Passport In the case of loss or theft of diplomatic passport, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should be intimated immediately.

(G)

Impounding/ Cancellation / Confiscation of Diplomatic Passports The Additional Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs may impound, cancel or confiscate a diplomatic passport of a Pakistan national by making an order under sub-section (1) of Section 8 of the Passport Act, 1974 ( Appendix-IV ) in the form of impounding order in respect of International Passport as set out in sub-para (2) of paragraph 52.