Diplomatic Passport

A diplomatic passport Pakistan issues is a red-covered travel document for people who hold specific senior state offices or serve as diplomats. It is not an upgrade that anyone can request. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs approves each case under Schedule IV of the Passport Rules 2021, and the passport directorate prints the document. This guide explains who qualifies, how approval works, what the passport allows and what holders must do when they leave office.

What Is a Diplomatic Passport in Pakistan?

A diplomatic passport marks its holder as a representative of the state or as a person entitled to that status. Pakistan issues three kinds of passports: ordinary, official and diplomatic. Separate categories make a holder’s status clear at the border, and officials on state business are easier to identify at immigration desks.

Red Cover and Issuing Bodies

Ordinary passports have a green cover, official passports are blue, and diplomatic passports are red. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs approves diplomatic passports. The Directorate General of Immigration and Passports (DGI&P) at its Islamabad headquarters then processes and issues them based on the ministry’s authorisation. One approving ministry gives a clear chain of authority.

Not Open to the General Public

You cannot apply for a diplomatic passport as a private citizen, and it cannot be bought. Any offer to sell one is not legitimate. Knowing this protects you from scams and from document fraud.

Who Is Eligible for a Diplomatic Passport in Pakistan?

Eligibility is set in Schedule IV of the Passport Rules 2021, as amended by SRO 1139(1)/2023. The table below groups the main categories as reported from the schedule. Rules can change through cabinet amendments, and no 2027 change has been announced at the time of writing, so confirm the current text with the DGI&P before relying on any list. A grouped table makes it easy to see whether a role qualifies.

Former Office Holders

Some senior office holders keep the facility after leaving office. In October 2025, the federal cabinet approved an amendment so that the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee can hold a diplomatic passport after retirement. Before that, only the three service chiefs had that entitlement. Post-service entitlement keeps travel status in place for eligible offices.

Spouses and Family Members

Schedule IV also deals with certain family members of holders. The exact categories and conditions are set out in the schedule, so read the current text or ask the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Checking the schedule first saves wasted effort.

Diplomatic Passport Pakistan vs Official and Ordinary Passport

Many readers mix up the red passport with the blue one. The official passport, covered on our blue passport of Pakistan page, is meant for people travelling abroad on official assignments. The table shows how the three types differ.

The key difference is who qualifies and why. An official passport follows an official assignment, while a diplomatic passport follows a specific office or diplomatic role. Knowing which category fits your role saves time before any request is made. Citizens who do not hold such a role use the ordinary passport. Our ordinary passport guide explains how it works.

Diplomatic Passport Pakistan Application Process

There is no public form for this category. The government runs the process, and a defined route keeps each case accountable.

Step 1: Authorisation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The ministry reviews the case against Schedule IV and approves it if the person is entitled. The authorisation is the document that starts everything else.

Step 2: Issuance by the DGI&P

Once the ministry authorises the case, the DGI&P headquarters in Islamabad processes and issues the passport. Central issuance keeps the document handling in one place.

What About the E-Passport Change?

For ordinary applicants, the DGI&P stopped taking new machine-readable passport applications from 15 October 2026, and new applications now receive an e-passport. The DGI&P’s own page on diplomatic passports describes the machine-readable format, so holders should ask the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which format applies to their category. For background on the new chip passport, see our e-passport requirements and fees page. Those fee tables cover ordinary passports, so confirm your own category before you act on them.

Benefits of a Diplomatic Passport

Holders may get visa exemptions or faster visa handling in countries that have agreements with Pakistan. This means less paperwork before official trips and smoother handling of official travel. These arrangements differ from country to country and can change, so check with the destination’s embassy before every trip. I have not listed countries here, because lists like that go out of date quickly.

Immunity Is Not Automatic

A diplomatic passport does not give legal immunity by itself. Immunity under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations comes from a diplomat’s accreditation to a host state, not from the booklet. Understanding this avoids false expectations at the border.

Rules Holders Must Follow

Diplomatic status comes with duties. Following these rules protects the holder’s standing.

• Surrender the passport within 30 days of leaving the office that entitled you to it, unless the rules allow you to keep it.
• Expect cancellation if you are no longer entitled. The passport directorate has cancelled and deactivated diplomatic passports on that basis before.
• Report a lost or stolen passport to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs without delay.
• Check the passport’s expiry date well before each trip.

If You Are Not Eligible

Most travellers do not qualify, and that is normal. For leisure, business, study or family visits, the ordinary passport is the right document, and it is open to every citizen. Our Pakistan passport guides cover fees, requirements and tracking for each type.

Need Help With Your Passport?

Now that you know how the diplomatic passport Pakistan system works, check whether your role is listed in Schedule IV. If it is not, use the ordinary passport route and start with the steps in our passport guides.