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MRPs for Pak expats ‘soon’

DUBAI — The long-awaited Machine Readable Passports (MRPs) for Pakistanis residing in the UAE will be launched as soon as a new, under-construction waiting hall was completed at the Pakistan Consulate in Dubai.

Asma Ali Zain

Published: Sun 17 Jul 2005, 10:05 AM

Last updated: Thu 2 Apr 2015, 7:43 PM

Speaking to Khaleej Times, Najeeb Durrani, acting Consul-General, said: "A technical team from Pakistan is at present evaluating the launch of the MRP, and hopefully, the electronic passports will be available to Pakistanis very soon."

The launch of MRPs has been delayed by several months though the computerised machines are already in place. The launch was also delayed because the Pakistan government had decided to launch the MRPs in it's London mission, but apparently, MRPs have not been launched there as well.

Durrani said a new air-conditioned hall was being constructed at the consulate premises to accommodate people applying for MRPs. "This new waiting hall will be only for people applying for visas and MRPs," he said, adding : "We are also in the process of setting up new signboards for MRPs, and will launch the passports as soon as the hall is ready, hopefully within a week’s time.

The Pakistan government has introduced MRPs incorporating special security features designed to check human trafficking and forgery, besides fulfilling all basic requirements of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). The new passports contain digitally printed personal data with a photograph which cannot be tampered with.

Under the procedure of getting new passports, no application or photos are required from the applicants as they only have to bring their National Identity Cards for Overseas Pakistanis (Nicops) with a photocopy and a bank receipt after depositing the prescribed passport fee. All data is entered into the system and the photograph is made digitally. An immigration official also conducts a brief interview to check that the applicant is a Pakistani national.