Pakistan has entered into visa exemption arrangements with several countries, offering visa-free travel to certain categories of Pakistani passport holders for stays ranging from one to three months, depending on the terms of the respective agreements.
The countries included in these arrangements are Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Egypt, Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Nepal, Iran, Russia and Argentina.
However, these exemptions generally do not apply to ordinary Pakistani passport holders. In most cases, the facilities are available to holders of diplomatic and official passports travelling for eligible official purposes.
The permitted duration of stay varies by country and is determined by the specific bilateral agreement. Eligible travellers are required to comply with the conditions and requirements set by each country.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has been instructed to implement the updated visa arrangements at relevant entry points and facilitate eligible travellers covered under these agreements.
The arrangements are aimed at making official travel more convenient and further strengthening Pakistan’s bilateral relations with partner countries. They are expected to provide greater ease of movement for diplomatic and official delegations.
Ordinary Pakistani passport holders will generally continue to follow existing visa requirements unless they are covered by a separate visa exemption agreement.
