Pakistan Saturday Passport Pickup: What Is New
The Directorate General of Immigration and Passports, known as DGI&P, has opened a Saturday passport pickup window across Pakistan. Delivery counters will now work every Saturday from 8 am to 4 pm for the next two months.
This change is only about collection. If your passport is already printed and waiting, you can now pick it up on a Saturday instead of taking leave from work on a weekday.
Who Benefits From the Saturday Passport Service
This update helps people who find it hard to visit a passport office on a normal working day. That includes a large part of Pakistan’s working population.
- Salaried employees and office staff
- Teachers and school staff
- Shopkeepers and small business owners
- Freelancers and daily wage workers
- Students with weekday classes
- People travelling in from nearby districts
DGI&P runs Regional Passport Offices across Islamabad, Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit Baltistan. Since not every office runs on the exact same schedule, it is worth confirming your local office timing before you travel.
Saturday Passport Collection Timing and Rules
Here are the key details applicants should know before planning a Saturday visit.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Service | Passport delivery and collection only |
| Saturday timing | 8 am to 4 pm |
| Duration | Two months |
| Coverage | Delivery counters across Pakistan |
| Collection requirement | Original token |
| Status updates | SMS service 9988 |
| Delivery to | Applicant or eligible blood relative |
This is a temporary arrangement, not a permanent change to office timings. DGI&P has not confirmed that Saturday collection will continue once the two month period ends.
The Six Month Unclaimed Passport Rule
Many applicants forget about a passport once it is submitted. But DGI&P’s Passport Rules 2021 set out a clear process for passports that stay uncollected.
If a passport is not picked up for six months, the office prepares a list of unclaimed passports. A warning is sent by registered post, giving the applicant 90 more days to collect it.
If it is still not collected, the passport moves further into the system, and the rules allow for destruction or cancellation after one year. Collecting your passport during the new Saturday pickup window helps you avoid this process altogether.
How to Check Passport Status Before You Visit
There is no need to visit an office just to ask if your passport has arrived. DGI&P offers an SMS service on 9988 that shares passport status once a valid mobile number was given during the application.
Overseas Pakistanis can also use Email Rabta by providing the correct email address at the time of applying. Checking your status first can save an unnecessary trip if the document is not ready yet.
Documents Needed to Collect Your Passport
Before heading to the counter, whether on a weekday or the new Saturday slot, keep these points in mind.
- Confirm the passport status shows it is ready
- Carry the original token from your application day
- Bring valid identification documents
- If a blood relative is collecting for you, check current DGI&P rules first
- Confirm your specific office’s Saturday arrangement before travelling
If you applied without going through an agent, the process is the same. Readers who want the full picture can also check our earlier report on passport renewal without agents for related guidance.
How This Fits Into Pakistan’s Wider Passport Reforms
The Saturday pickup window is not a standalone step. It sits alongside other changes DGI&P has made in recent years.
Passport fees can now be paid through QR based digital payments, including bank transfers, Easypaisa, and JazzCash. Online applications and SMS status updates already reduce the number of times a person needs to visit an office.
Back in 2021, DGI&P also piloted home delivery of passports in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, letting eligible applicants receive documents without visiting a counter at all. The Saturday service tackles the one physical step that digital tools cannot fully remove, the final handover of the passport booklet itself.
This pattern matters for anyone tracking Pakistan’s passport standing and travel access, since smoother domestic processing often gets less attention than international ranking news, even though it affects far more citizens day to day.
What Could Change Compared to Before
| Service Area | Existing Approach | New Development |
|---|---|---|
| Status information | SMS and email | Continues as usual |
| Digital payment | QR and online options | Continues as usual |
| Physical collection | Weekdays only | Saturday window added |
| Home delivery | Piloted earlier | Still part of service history |
| Unclaimed passports | Six month rule | Rule stays applicable |
According to official sources, this is best understood as a targeted fix for one part of the passport journey, not a full overhaul of the system. As per government announcements, no permanent Saturday schedule has been confirmed beyond the two month trial. Official information is available through the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports website.
What Happens Next
DGI&P has not said whether the Saturday service will continue after two months. Whether it becomes permanent will likely depend on how many people actually use it.
Signals worth watching include the number of passports collected on Saturdays, any drop in weekday crowding, and whether unclaimed passport numbers fall. For now, the sensible step for applicants is simple. Check your status, confirm your token, and use the extra day if it fits your schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will passport delivery counters open on Saturday in Pakistan?
The new Saturday passport pickup timing is 8 am to 4 pm. This will run for two months at delivery counters across Pakistan.
Is the Saturday passport service for new applications?
No. The Saturday window is only for collecting passports that are already printed and ready. It is not a new day for submitting fresh passport applications.
How can I check my Pakistani passport status?
DGI&P sends passport status updates through SMS service 9988 when a correct mobile number is given at the time of application. Overseas applicants can also use Email Rabta.
What should I bring to collect my passport?
Applicants must bring the original token issued on the day of application, along with valid identification, to the delivery counter on the confirmed collection date.
Can someone else collect my passport for me?
According to DGI&P rules, a passport can be handed over to the applicant or to an eligible blood relative only. It cannot be given to an unrelated person.
What happens if a passport is not collected for six months?
Under the Passport Rules 2021, uncollected passports enter a formal process after six months. A warning notice is sent by registered post, giving 90 more days to collect it, after which destruction or cancellation can follow after one year.
