Pakistan’s Directorate General of Immigration and Passports has completed a comprehensive review of the passport application process and approved a set of digital reforms aimed at modernising the system from end to end, with the introduction of a dedicated mobile application for complaint submission among the most immediately consequential changes announced. The decision was taken during a meeting chaired by Director General Immigration and Passports Muhammad Ali Randhawa, where key reforms aimed at digital transformation were approved, with digital complaint centres to be established to ensure swift resolution of public grievances alongside broader efforts to digitise the immigration and passport system.
The Directorate of Passports and Immigration completed the review of passport application processing, from submission to issuance, in consultation with information technology experts, as part of efforts to modernise the system in line with contemporary requirements, with the review finalised ahead of an announcement to upgrade the passport and immigration processing framework, focusing on efficiency, transparency, and faster public service delivery. The new mobile application, once launched, will allow citizens to submit complaints and queries online, enabling faster response times without requiring applicants to visit passport offices in person, a change that addresses one of the most persistent sources of frustration for millions of Pakistanis who interact with the system each year.
The reforms represent a significant step forward for a department that processes passport applications for one of the world’s largest populations of overseas workers and diaspora communities. Pakistan’s passport system has long been criticised for delays, opacity in processing timelines, and limited digital access for citizens seeking to resolve issues or track their applications remotely. The introduction of digital complaint centres, combined with the new application, is designed to create a more accountable and transparent interface between the directorate and the public. For overseas Pakistanis in particular, who have historically had to rely on email correspondence or embassy visits to resolve passport-related issues, a structured digital complaint pathway with defined response timelines would represent a material improvement in service accessibility. The directorate is expected to share further details on the rollout timeline for the app and the digital complaint centres in the coming weeks.
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