How to get a Pakistan Visa
So you want to visit Pakistan? Amazing! You’re making the right choice. Pakistan is a truly off the beaten path destination and a mesmerising adventure experience regardless of whether you stick to the cities or head right up into the mountains.
We just need to make sure that you successfully get your visa for all that Pakistan tourism.
I can help with that.
I have been through the process and I’m going to show you all of the different ways you can get your Pakistan visa step by step.
This Pakistan Visa Application guide covers all options, including the Pakistan online e-visa application, visas on arrival or getting a visa through your local embassy.
*Awesome Update*
Pakistan has instituted an e-visa process and a much easier visa on arrival for some nationalities.
HOW TO GET A PAKISTAN VISA
Go Visa Free
Some nationalities can visit Pakistan visa-free. Find out if you’re eligible below.
Apply for an e-visa online
Pakistan started their online e-visa system this year (2019).
Get a Visa on Arrival
50 countries can get a Pakistan visa on arrival. Read on to find out if you’re one of them.
Go to the Pakistan embassy yourself
OK. Get ready for paperwork and back and forth trips to the Pakistan embassy!
Is Pakistan visa free?
If you are from Iceland, Maldives, Nepal, Samoa, Tonga or Trinidad & Tobago; it’s good news. You can get a free visa for Pakistan! Yep that’s right; lucky you gets visa free entry for Pakistan. Enjoy!
Visas are also not required if you hold a Pakistan Origin Card (POC) or a National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistani (NICOP).
If you’re from anywhere else, you’re going to have to get your visa for Pakistan through one of the other options below.
How to get a Pakistan e visa online
You can now apply for a Pakistan e-visa online! Pakistan e-visas are available to nationals of 179 countries.
*UPDATE* The easiest way to get your e visa online now is through iVisa. They take care of it all for you.
Get your Pakistan e visa online here
Want to go the old school way and get your e-visa through the Pakistan government?
Read on to find out how to apply step-by-step.
Top Tips for filling in the Pakistan e-visa online
- All boxes with a * are mandatory throughout this online Pakistan visa form. I recommend filling in as many boxes as you can to increase your chances of being accepted.
- Make a note of your username and password when you create your account and store this information in a safe place.
- Don’t forget to save as you go along.
- This application can be temperamental. Sometimes I was signed off without warning – and then lost the steps I had completed already. Try and complete it as quickly and efficiently as you can.
How much is the Pakistan e-visa online?
How long does the Pakistan e-visa take to process?
- Entry (Up to 3 Months) : 7-10 Days
- Extension (Up to 6 Months) : 7-10 Days
- Extension (Greater than 6 Months) : 4 Weeks
What documents do I need for the Pakistan e-visa?
- Valid passport
- Passport photo of yourself
- A letter of invitation (must be from the Pakistan tour you’re going with, your sponsor or from the hotel you are staying at if you’re going alone – the hotel booking confirmation email is enough)
Go to the Pakistan e-visa site
Visit the Pakistan e-visa website here. Click on ‘apply now’.
Create a new account
Type in your name, email, passport number, choose a password and type in the security code. Make sure you tick the box confirming you agree to the terms and conditions.
You will receive an email with the activation code inside.
Open it up, click on ‘continue registration’ then you’ll be taken to a page where you have to enter your email and the pin you received within the email to verify your account.
Log in to begin.
Read through and accept the terms and conditions
These are worth reading!
When you’re ready, tick the box at the bottom to confirm you accept the terms and conditions then click on the green box ‘accept and continue’.
Choose your nationality
You can choose from a drop-down box. This section is here as a measure to double check your nationality is allowed to apply for an e-visa. If all is well, you’ll go through to the next part.
Fill in the application information and passport details
You will asked what visa you are applying for and its sub-category. For a Pakistan tourist visa, you can apply for less than 3 months, up to 6 months and greater than 6 months. Choose whether this is your first-time application or if you are applying for an extension.
You can choose if you want single or multiple entry. Multiple entry can either be up to 1 year or more than 1 year.
State what the purpose of your visit is (if you’re a tourist, typing ‘tourism’ is fine. State how many months you want the visa to last.
Choose what country and city you want to be interviewed in. Please note: An interview isn’t usually required; but make sure to choose a place you can get to if they do want to see you face to face.
Select your port of entry and departure.
Type in your planned dates of arrival and departure. They do not have to be exact, but try your best to give the authorities an idea.
Finally, type in your passport details.
Fill in your personal information
Type in your names, country of birth, country of residence, date of birth and place of birth.
They will ask you what your blood type is. Do your best to find out but it is not the end of the world if you cannot get this information. Pick what you think it is (you will have to choose something).
Select your religion, education level, your marital status, gender and legal status at your current location. They will also ask what your native language is.
Choose what your current nationality is and whether this was acquired by birth or naturalization.
You can add more nationalities if you have more than one.
Finally, fill in your current address and contact details.
Family Info
They will ask for your Father’s and Mother’s information. You’ll need to know their full names, date of birth, country of birth, nationality and any previous nationalities. You can also add in their passport numbers if they have a passport.
Tick the box if you’ll be having any accompanying member(s) during your travel to Pakistan.
Finances and Employment
Are you employed, unemployed, self-employed, retired, a student, supported by a family member or other?
Depending on which one you choose, you will have to fill in further details.
If you pick employed, they will ask details about your current employer and previous employment.
They’ll also ask you, regardless of your employment status, if you have a bank account in Pakistan.
Travel History Info
Have you travelled to any country in the past 3 years? If so, you’ll have to list them! An absolute nightmare for a travel blogger like me, but I knuckled down and did it. Good luck to you if you travel just as much as me! They’ll want to know the countries, destinations, dates, the duration of your stays and why you went there.
The form will also ask for your travel visa refusal history, Pakistani visa history and your convictions and other penalties information.
Visit Info
Do you intend to visit Azad Jammu and Kashmir during your stay in Pakistan? They will ask you. Tick the yes or no box.
Are you staying in a hotel when you arrive? If so, you will have to give their details. If you’re staying with a friend, you will have to provide theirs.
Is your trip sponsored? You will have to provide their details.
You will also be asked if you have any friends or relatives in Pakistan and be asked for their details.
Finally, you will be asked about your area of stay information = your full itinerary. You will have to add in all of the addresses you are staying at including the address, province, district and tehsil one by one. *This particular part is not mandatory, but it may help your application if you fill it in.
Documents and Photograph
This is where you will upload your supporting documents.
- Photographs of supporting documents taken with a digital camera or smartphone are fine
- Only jpg, jpeg and png file formats are accepted
- The document size should not be more than 350 KB
Upload your invitation letter, passport and passport photo. Make sure they meet the Pakistan visa requirements above for everything to go through nicely.
Review
This is your chance to view your application in full and make sure all of the information you have inputted is correct. You can easily edit any sections you need to.
Payment and Submit Application
Last but not least: payment! You can pay by Visa or Mastercard.
YOU MUST submit your application once the payment has gone through. Without clicking on ‘Submit my application’ the visa application for Pakistan will not be initiated.
Once everything has gone through, a confirmation will appear on your screen and in your inbox.
That’s it! All you gotta do now is hold tight and wait for the final confirmation to come through to your inbox.
Does Pakistan give visas on arrival?
Yes, depending on where you’re from / whether you are travelling alone or with a tour.
Please understand that you must apply online at least 48-72 hours before arriving in Pakistan to receive an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA). Once you have the ETA, you can then apply for the visa on arrival at the airport in Pakistan. Without the ETA, you’ll be going nowhere.
The Visa on Arrival can be used at the following 5 international airports:
Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar and Quetta.
Individual visas on arrival
Individual Pakistan visas on arrival are currently available to nationals of these 50 countries.
Check whether you are eligible to apply.
Group tour visas on arrival
Are you travelling to Pakistan on a group tour?
Nice!
I went with Epic Backpacker Tours and had an amazing time!
Citizens from the following 24 countries can obtain a visa on arrival for a maximum stay of 30 days:
Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, United Kingdom and the United States.
You can only get this Visa on Arrival if you’re travelling as part of a group through your designated tour operator. Everything must be pre-planned and arranged.
NOTE: independent travel would not be allowed for you in Pakistan with a visa on arrival. You would have to stay with your tour throughout your whole time in the country.
Business visa on arrival
Business visas on arrivals are available to nationals of these 95 countries.
You will need an invitation from a company in Pakistan or a recommendation from the Chamber of Commerce of your own country.
Pakistan e-visa vs. visa on arrival
Are you in the situation where you can apply for the e-visa online AND the visa on arrival.
Are you wondering which one is better to choose?
They are generally the same Pakistan visa price so what is best?
Here is my advice:
Do you want to travel independently in Pakistan?
If you get the visa on arrival with a group tour, you then will not be able to travel independently before or afterwards by yourself. The visa also only lasts for 30 days. I recommend getting the e-visa so you have the freedom to choose your own adventure when you want.
Do you want peace of mind?
Applying for an e-visa will allow for the visa to be processed and hopefully arrive safely in your inbox before you leave for your trip. You may prefer to have this confirmation before boarding, rather than have to arrange the visa on arrival in Pakistan when you land.
How to get a Pakistan Embassy Visa
If you are not eligible to apply for the Pakistan e-visa, or visa on arrival, you can obtain your visa through the Pakistan embassy in your home country or country of residence.
What documents will I need for the Pakistan Embassy Visa?
- Pakistan visa application form
- Original, signed passport (6 months validity remaining / at least 1 visa page clear of any markings)
- 2 clear passport photos taken within the last 6 months
- Proof of address (utility bill or driving licence)
- Copy of your Pakistan trip itinerary + round trip flight tickets
- Bank statement from the past 3 months
- Employment letter from your employer or school / if self-employed – a copy of your business licence and tax return / if retired – proof of your retirement fund
- Sponsor Letter (from your sponsor or tour operator company in Pakistan)
How long does the Pakistan Embassy Visa take to process?
Results reportedly vary wildly, from just a few days to up to 6 weeks. n this paperwork, but if you need a hand, read on for some advice!
How to fill in the Pakistan Embassy Application
Before you start, make sure you have: 1) a black pen and 2) Tipp-Ex for mistakes.
You need to fill in the Pakistan application form for your country out in BLACK CAPITAL LETTERS.
Look after this application form nicely and with love whilst you are completing it and sending it off.
The embassy will not be impressed with paper applications that are messy, dog-chewed, water-marked or incomprehensible.
Filling in your application form
The questions asked on the paper form are very similar to what is asked for the Pakistan visa online.
Make sure to check out this section to be guided on what will be asked so you know how to answer.
Getting your form to the embassy
Once you have all of the paperwork filled in and all of the necessary supporting documentation with you will need to get it to the Pakistan embassy.
Going to the Pakistan Embassy yourself
Depending on which embassy around the world you submit it to, you may be able to walk right in during a set time, or have to make an appointment. Check with your local embassy.
Once your forms are submitted, you will have to wait for the result and a) get your visa sent back to you by the embassy once it is processed or b) pick it up yourself.
Good luck!
Do you have a question about the Pakistan visa application process?
Not sure on something? Ask away in the comments and I’ll do my best to answer your queries. Or are you someone who has completed the process already? Was it easy? Did you face any challenges? Share your knowledge below – let’s make this the best resource on how to apply for visas to Pakistan and help each other out.
Comment Below
I look forward to hearing from you! Feel free to tell me more about Pakistan too!
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