ISLAMABAD: The government on Thursday slashed the delivery time for ordinary passports from 21 days to 14 days and ordered all passport offices to go fully cashless within 15 days.

The decisions were taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry.

“We have reduced the de­­livery time for normal pa­­ssports from 21 days to 14 days,” Mr Naqvi said, ac­­cording to an official handout.

The minister further stated that “a complete cashless system will be implemented in passport offices,” while giving passport authorities 15 days to end cash transactions at all offices nationwide. “Eliminating cash payments will end the agent mafia and facilitate citizens,” he said.

Officials said the 14-day timeline for normal passports comes into effect immediately.

Officials were also directed to finalise a separate “business passport” category soon and make the home-delivery system for passports more effective, the statement said.

Mr Naqvi said that establishing a dedicated Passport Authority was “extremely necessary” to improve the system and public service.

Interior Secretary Khur­­ram Ali Agha, Direc­tor Ge­­neral of Passports and Im­­m­­i­g­­ration Muhammad Ali Ra­­ndhawa and senior officials attended the meeting.

The move comes as passport offices struggle with long queues and complaints of delays. De­­m­­and for passports has surged since 2022, with over 6.5m issued in 2023 alone, according to immigration data.

Published in Dawn, May 1st, 2026