Important! Pakistan is a country of increased terrorist threat.
- Terrorist acts with numerous human casualties are regularly carried out against government officials, civilians, as well as foreigners (diplomatic officers and international organizations).
- There are frequent cases of kidnapping, including foreigners, for ransom or political demands.
- Periodically, a "red" alarm level is introduced at major airports, as a result of which all temporary passes to the airport are automatically canceled.
- In addition to terrorism, criminal crime is a serious threat.
Most citizens of the world need to obtain a visa to visit Pakistan. In general, there are 3 ways to get a visa:
- at the official representative offices of the country (embassy/consulate)
- apply for a visa upon arrival;
- apply for an electronic visa (list of countries that can issue an electronic visa).
Visa upon arrival in Pakistan
The Government of Pakistan provides 2 categories of visas on arrival: for tourist and business purposes. The visa is valid for 30 days. You can extend your visa within Pakistan through the online system.
You must submit an online application at least 48-72 business hours before traveling to Pakistan to receive an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA). After receiving the ETA, you can travel to Pakistan.
Tourist visa on arrival (see
the list of countries whose citizens can obtain a tourist visa on arrival). The visa is valid for 30 days, but is subject to extension.
Also:
- Foreign nationals of Indian origin are eligible to apply under this category for the purpose of religious tourism.
- Tour operators approved by the Directorate of Tourism Services of Pakistan (DTS) may be allowed to place tour groups under this category.
Required documents for obtaining a tourist visa upon arrival:
- Photo;
- Passport;
- Invitation letter from the sponsor or hotel booking details in case of an individual tourist;
- Letter of invitation from a tour operator designated by the Department of Tourist Services in the case of a group.
Duration and validity
- A tourist visa is valid for 30 days;
- Citizens of Malaysia, Turkey and the UAE can obtain a 30-day multiple-entry visa upon arrival.
Attention!
Citizens of the following countries do not need to apply for a visa:
• United Arab Emirates
• Bahrain
• Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
• Oman
• Qatar
• Kuwait
Citizens of the Gulf countries listed above need only present their valid passport to enter Pakistan.
Pakistan's electronic tourist visa (eVisa)
E-Visa (electronic visa) is an online way to obtain a visa to travel to Pakistan. This visa allows for single entry and is valid for no more than 90 days.
Pakistan has an E-Visa only for tourist and business purposes, E-Visa is issued online. An e-visa is issued within 48-72 business hours and is valid for up to 3 months. After completing the online application form and paying the visa fee, you will receive your e-visa by email within 3 business days, depending on the visa status you have chosen.
Additionally, the government of Pakistan has introduced a
free Visa Prior to Arrival (Tourist) e-visa for
citizens of 126 countries .
What is Visa Prior to Arrival (Tourist)?
Starting August 14, 2024, tourists from 126 countries (see the full list here) can apply for a visa before arriving in Pakistan, online, for free. This visa is issued for traveling to Pakistan for tourist or business purposes. You can apply for it on
the official Nadra visa application portal.
It is noted that you need to apply for a visa at least 24 hours before your planned trip to Pakistan.
Required documents for applying for an e-visa to Pakistan:
- A passport valid for at least six months after the date of your departure from the country (at least 1-2 free “visa pages”).
- Photo (taken within the previous 6 months, size 3x4 cm).
- Invitation or hotel reservation.
When you arrive in Pakistan, you must also provide:
• A printed E-visa of Pakistan.
• Travel itinerary.
• Airline ticket reservation
• Valid (existing) hotel/housing/reservation booking with full address (name, street, city, postal code, contact information, booking link, etc.)
• Invitation letter (if any).
A tourist visa is issued at official representative offices (embassy/consulate)
The visa is valid for 30 days, but is subject to renewal.
List of countries that can apply for a visa only in this way: Taiwan, Somalia, North Korea, Macau, India, Hong Kong, Armenia. Israeli citizens are not allowed to enter!
Required documents:
- The visa application form is filled out in English;
- An international passport;
- 4 color photos with the size 3. 5 x 4. 5;
- An internal passport;
- Invitation to the country;
- Air ticket booking confirmation;
- Hotel booking confirmation.
There are countries that can visit Pakistan without a visa: Maldives, Nepal, Samoa, Trinidad and Tobago.
A separate category should be a visa for mountaineering and trekking. Its validity period is up to 3 months.
Pakistan is considered one of the most popular destinations for mountaineering and trekking expeditions around the world. In the mountaineering and trekking Category, all foreigners who want to explore Pakistan can apply for an online visa.
You can apply for a single entry visa in the following subcategories:
- Mountaineering. For a list of mountains where you can apply for a visa, see here.
- Trekking. You can view the list here of tracks for which you can apply for a visa here.
Important! In your application, in the “visit purpose” section, specify the mountains included in this list that you are going to climb.
The applicant must be a citizen of one of the
191 countries which is eligible for an online visa.
Required documents:
- A passport;
- Photo;
- Mountaineering application form (required if the application is submitted in subcategory "a");
- An application form for the hike (required if the application is submitted in subcategory "b");
- The sponsorship letter/contract with the designated tour operator Department of tourist services (DTS). Please note: your sponsorship letter/agreement must be provided by a tour operator authorized by DTS;
- The list of any participants who accompany the applicant for mountaineering or trekking purposes, if the applicant has one at the time of application.
What documents are required to import an animal into the country?
- obtain an import permit issued by the Ministry of foodstuffs and agriculture from the Office of the import and Export Control Organization of Pakistan.
- the animal must be implanted with a microchip that consists of 15 digits and complies with the ISO 11784/11785 standard. The number of the microchip must be displayed in the health certificate;
- the animal must have been vaccinated against rabies 30 days to 12 months before entering the country;
- dogs must be vaccinated against canine distemper, infectious hepatitis, leptospirosis, and canine parvovirus 21 days to 12 months before the travel date;
- cats should be vaccinated against rhinotracheitis, panleukopenia, and calicivirus infection 21 days to 12 months prior to the travel date.
- rabies titer test is optional;
- veterinary certificate;
- treatment of parasites before entry is mandatory;
- birds, invertebrates, tropical fish, amphibians, rodents are not subject to the requirements for rabies vaccination, but may have to meet other requirements that should be specified in the relevant authorities of your country/country of destination.
Important! Before importing a pet (if it is not a dog, cat, or ferret), make sure that it is not protected by the International Convention on international trade in Endangered Species of wild flora and fauna (CITES). If this is the case, then you will need to apply for additional documents.