Pakistan is one of the most interesting countries to visit in South Asia. With its diverse culture and breathtaking natural beauties, Pakistan is definitely worth a visit! Therefore, millions of people travel to Pakistan every year to see what Pakistan has to offer! This is exactly why we made this comprehensive Pakistan visa guide for you. You might not know if you need a Pakistan visa or if it is safe to travel to Pakistan. Don’t worry! We are here to answer all your questions!
Pakistan Visa
If you are not a citizen of Pakistan, you have to do a Pakistan visa application. Unlike some countries who offer visa exemptions, Pakistan requires visa from foreigners. However, this should not scare you. Pakistan has made everything is for foreigners. Many nationals can apply for Pakistan visa online or they can get the Pakistan visa on arrival. Depending on your nationality, you may be required to apply for a different type of visa but don’t worry. We have listed them all for you!
- So, in a nutshell, there are 3 ways you can apply for Pakistan visa:
- You can apply to Pakistan eVisa (Online)
- You can apply to the Pakistan visa on arrival
- You can apply to Pakistan visa via Pakistani consulate
Apply for Pakistan Visa Online
If you are traveling to Pakistan for either as a tourist or for business purposes, you might be able to apply for a Pakistan eVisa. The following countries’ citizens can apply for the Pakistani eVisa: Angola, Argentina, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Botswana, Brunei, Costa Rica, Finland, Germany, Ghana, Iceland, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Korea (South), Kuwait, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Monaco, Mozambique, Nepal, New Zealand, Oman, Paraguay, Qatar, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, UAE, Western Samoa, and Zambia.
Bear in mind that you should apply to a Pakistan visa at least 2-3 work days before your flight. This is due to the some procedures you must follow while making your Pakistan visa application.
Here are the steps you should follow when applying for Pakistan eVisa:
- Register yourself to the Pakistan eVisa website and enter your authentic email address as you will be needing it later on.
- After you submit your email address, you will be receiving an email about your Pakistan visa application form.
- Select the type of Pakistan visa you are applying for and enter your personal information along with information like passport number, purpose and duration of your visit, entry point, etc.
- Choose the nearest Pakistani consulate to you as you may be asked for an interview in person depending on your nationality.
- Right before attaching the required documents for your Pakistan visa form, fill in the information like family information, finances and employment record, travel history, and previous visit information.
- The system will automatically direct you to a page where you can submit your required documents. Make sure and double check if everything you submit is legitimate.
- On the last step, you are required to pay the Pakistan visa fee with either your credit or debit card.
Pakistan visa photo
You are going to need a passport size photo for your Pakistan visa application. Hence, it is important for you to understand the specifications that Pakistani consulate is looking for. There are some strict Pakistan visa photo requirements. We have listed all of these below:
- The most important Pakistan visa photo requirement is the size of it.The width of the photo should be 2 inches (51 mm) and the height of the photo should be 2 inches (51 mm) as well.
- The background on the Pakistan visa photo should be white or off-white in colour.
- The Pakistani visa photo must be in colour.
- You must have a natural facial expression.
- You can wear your everyday clothing. Uniforms or extravagant outfits may cause a photo rejection. Religious clothing is permitted as long as they do not cover your face and especially your eyes.
- Tinted glasses, jewellery and other items should not be worn. However, glasses are allowed if you are wearing them for medical reasons.
- Your mouth should be closed.
- Your digital photo should be maximum 350 KB.
- Your face should be directly looking at the camera with a full view.
Getting a Pakistan visa on arrival as tourist
If you are traveling to Pakistan for either as a tourist or for business purposes, you might be eligible to apply for a Pakistan visa on arrival. The Pakistan visa applications on arrival are pretty similar to getting a Pakistan eVisa. However, there are some minor differences which you should know of.
If you are a citizen of the following countries, you can apply for a Pakistan visa on arrival as a tourist: Angola, Argentina, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Botswana, Brunei, Costa Rica, Finland, Germany, Ghana, Iceland, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Korea (South), Kuwait, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Monaco, Mozambique, Nepal, New Zealand, Oman, Paraguay, Qatar, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, UAE, Western Samoa, and Zambia.
As a tourist you will be asked to provide documents like a passport, proof of accommodation in Pakistan (a hotel reservation or an invitation letter from a Pakistani citizen), and an invitation letter if you are travelling within a tourist group. Last but not least, you will be asked to provide a passport photo.
Pakistan business visa on arrival
If you are traveling to Pakistan for business purposes, in order to be eligible for a Pakistan visa on arrival, you must also provide proof of registration from the host company. If you are a citizen of the following countries, you can apply for a Pakistan visa on arrival for business purposes: Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Benin, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, The Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Honduras, Hungary, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Ivory Coast, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, South Sudan, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Vietnam
Extending your Pakistan visa
So far we have covered if you can get a Pakistan visa free or not and how you should be applying for a Pakistani visa. What if you need to extend your stay in Pakistan? Then you should be applying to a proper visa type in Pakistan. Since a Pakistan visa on arrival and Pakistan eVisa are only valid for 30 days, your stay in Pakistan will not be legal if you intend to stay longer than 30 days. For a long-period Pakistan visa, there are a number of Pakistani visas you can apply for.
Pakistan Visa Types
By now, we know that Pakistan visa on arrival and Pakistan eVisa are only valid for 30 days. Then what should you do to extend your visa or apply for a long-term visa in the first place? You should choose the most suitable visa type for the purpose of your stay from the list below:
- Pakistan Business Visa: This visa type offers businessmen a 5-year multiple-entry visa.
- Pakistan Work Visa: This visa type is required when foreigners are willing to work in Pakistan.
- Pakistan Family Visit Visa: This visa type offers a multiple-entry for the relatives of Pakistan citizens. It’s valid for 5 years.
- Pakistan Student Visa: This visa type is specified for students. It’s valid for 2 years.
- Pakistan Journalist Visa: This visa type offers international journalists to enter Pakistan.
- Pakistan Talighb Visa: This visa type offers Muslim foreigners to enter Pakistan for religious purposes.
- Pakistan Pilgrim Tourism Visa: This visa type offers Muslim foreigners to enter Pakistan for their religious touristic visits.
Visa Fees of Pakistan
Pakistan visa fees depend on many factors. Those factors consist of your nationality, duration of your visit, and the type of Pakistani visa you are applying for. Generally, Pakistan visa fees are between 20 to 60 USD.
Is it safe to visit Pakistan?
Pakistan is known to be not so safe. From time to time, your consulate may warn you not to travel to Pakistan. Due to high crime rates and terrorism, it can be risky to travel to Pakistan. However, as long as you know where you will be going and what kind of precautions you should take, we can tell that traveling to Pakistan will be safe for you. Make sure you consult a travel agency before your visit to Pakistan.
