# Visa-free entry for Pakistani passport holders with 25 countries within six months, Naqvi tells NA committee

Source: Searchable (https://searchable.pk/news/politics/visa-free-entry-for-pakistani-passport-holders-with-25-countries-within-six)
Type: News article
Author: Searchable Editorial
Published: 30 Oct 2026
Updated: 30 Oct 2026
Retrieved: 30 Oct 2026

> Saudi Arabia and the UAE already have arrangements and Qatar is next. The catch: 22,000 blue passports have been cancelled and more cuts are coming to keep the deals alive.

**Visa-free entry arrangements with 25 countries will be finalised within six months, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi told the National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior on Thursday 29 October**, [Business Recorder reported](https://www.brecorder.com/news/40446646/naqvi-tells-na-body-visa-free-entry-arrangements-with-25-states-within-six-months). For anyone searching which visa free countries a Pakistani passport opens, that is the government's own timeline for the next list.

Naqvi said arrangements are already in place with **Saudi Arabia and the UAE**, and one with **Qatar** is expected soon. He told the committee, chaired by MNA Raja Khurram Shahzad Nawaz, that the green passport's standing is improving and will rise further over the next six months.

## Visa free countries for Pakistani passport: what was actually said

The minister did not name the other 22 countries, and he did not say which passports each deal covers. That matters: many visa exemptions Pakistan signs are for **diplomatic and official (blue) passports**, not the ordinary green passport most people hold. Until the agreements are published, treat "visa-free" as applying to official travel unless the Foreign Office says otherwise.

What he did tie them to is the number of blue passports in circulation:

- **70,000** blue passports had been issued in total.
- Some countries reportedly said they could end visa-exemption deals unless that number falls to **25,000**.
- About **22,000** have been cancelled so far, and fresh issuance is banned.
- MNAs now get blue passports for three years.

Committee members asked for a breakdown of the 30,000 passports the ministry says it has cut, a figure that does not match the 22,000 cancellations it reported. State Minister Talal Chaudhry said details covering the Foreign Office, officers on deputation and former government officials would be shared. An Interior Ministry official said rules for official passports are also under review.

## Pushback from members

Members questioned proposed limits on passport validity and renewal and asked for one policy in line with legal entitlements. Agha Rafiullah disputed the argument that blue passport numbers affect relations with other states, said he would hand his own back if needed, and asked the government to cite the law behind the cuts. Naqvi said Parliament should make a collective decision, given the visa talks, international commitments and the move to **e-passports**.

## What it means for ordinary travellers

Nothing changes today for a green passport holder planning a trip to the Gulf: you still need the visa or e-visa each country asks for. If the 25 deals do reach ordinary passports, the gains would come gradually over the next six months, country by country, as each agreement is signed.

If you are renewing before a trip, check the current fee for your page count and delivery speed on our [passport fee calculator](/tools/government/passport-fee-calculator), and see what NADRA charges for a CNIC on the [NADRA fee calculator](/tools/government/nadra-fee-calculator). An earlier change for former lawmakers is on our page on the [Senate's blue passport bill](/news/politics/blue-passport-for-ex-mnas-and-senators-senate-passes-bill-dropping-the-full-term).

We will update this story when the Interior or Foreign Ministry names the countries.

## Frequently asked questions

**Which countries will give Pakistanis visa-free entry?**

Mohsin Naqvi named only Saudi Arabia and the UAE (in place) and Qatar (expected soon). He said deals with 25 countries in all would be finalised within six months, without naming the rest.

**Do the visa-free deals cover the green passport?**

The minister did not say. Many such exemptions cover diplomatic and official passports only, so wait for the published agreements.

## Sources

- Naqvi tells NA body: Visa-free entry arrangements with 25 states within six months (30 Oct 2026) (Business Recorder): https://www.brecorder.com/news/40446646/naqvi-tells-na-body-visa-free-entry-arrangements-with-25-states-within-six-months

How to cite: "Visa-free entry for Pakistani passport holders with 25 countries within six months, Naqvi tells NA committee", Searchable, 30 Oct 2026, https://searchable.pk/news/politics/visa-free-entry-for-pakistani-passport-holders-with-25-countries-within-six