ISLAMABAD, May 18 — The federal government has approved official blue passports for 42 of the country’s top taxpayers, designating them as “ambassadors at large.” Muhammad Ali Randhawa, the chief of the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports (DGIP), confirmed that most of these special travel documents have already been issued following directions from the prime minister. Alongside this reward for high taxpayers, the department is launching massive, technology-driven reforms to make the passport application and delivery process much easier for ordinary citizens.
DGIP Director General Muhammad Ali Randhawa said the blue passports were approved on the prime minister’s directions, with most already issued. He also revealed that a proposal for special-coloured #DialoguePakistan #Pakistan #Approved #Blue #Passports #Taxpayers #Designated pic.twitter.com/gQlK1GUiyR
— Dialogue Pakistan (@DialoguePak) May 18, 2026
Quick Facts
- 42 top taxpayers have been granted blue passports and named ambassadors at large.
- A proposal for special-colored passports for other high-earning businessmen is under review.
- The DGIP is introducing nationwide home delivery for passports via courier services.
- An AI-powered chatbot will soon be launched to guide applicants and track document status.
- Online application submissions through a dedicated or expanded app are under serious consideration.
- After June 30, National Bank fee deposits will end, moving fully to cashless mobile payments with QR codes.
The new initiatives aim to completely modernize the passport system and eliminate long queues. Under the upcoming home delivery plan, citizens who pay a small courier fee can have their completed passports shipped directly to their homes from Islamabad. This service will be expanded to overseas Pakistanis in its second phase. Additionally, to reduce the massive pressure on the department’s telephone hotlines, an automated chatbot will handle basic questions about document requirements and provide instant status updates on submitted applications.
In a major move to wipe out the corrupt “agent mafia” operating outside passport offices, the DGIP is changing how fees are handled. After June 30, applicants will no longer have to stand in line to deposit cash at National Bank branches. Instead, the process will go entirely cashless, letting citizens scan a unique QR code on their application tokens to pay immediately using their mobile banking apps. The department is also designing an online system—similar to NADRA’s Pak-ID application—allowing citizens to upload old passports and photos 24/7 from anywhere in the world.
