Most foreign travellers who want to visit Pakistan in 2026 must apply for a paid e-visa in advance through the government's Pakistan Online Visa System. There is no general visa on arrival for tourists, and the free fast-track visa that ran in 2024 and 2025 has been suspended. This guide explains who needs a visa, what you need, and how the online application works.

The short answer

Apply online only through the official portal at visa.nadra.gov.pk, run by NADRA for the Ministry of Interior. Create an account, choose your visa category, complete the form, upload your documents, pay the fee by card and submit. The standard processing time is seven to ten working days, according to Pakistan's embassy in Washington. You receive the visa by email as a PDF, which you print and carry with your passport. Do not book non-refundable travel until the visa is approved: the portal itself says issuance of a visa is the prerogative of the Government of Pakistan and that applicants must plan travel only upon receipt of a valid visa.

What changed in 2026

From August 2024, citizens of 126 countries could use a free Visa Prior to Arrival, usually approved within a day or two. That option disappeared from the portal on 1 January 2026, and visa on arrival was withdrawn for most nationalities at the same time. Several independent travel guides that re-checked the portal during 2026 report the same change, and note that the government issued no formal announcement and no return date has been given.

In practice, that means the standard paid e-visa is now the main route for most nationalities, and it takes about seven to ten working days rather than 24 to 48 hours. Older guides describing a free visa in a day are out of date. Because the rules have changed once already this year, check the portal itself for the current position before you book.

Who needs a visa, and who does not

The portal says it is open to citizens of 192 countries. Citizens of the six Gulf Cooperation Council states do not need a visa for the tourist, business and Sikh pilgrimage categories listed on the portal. Everyone else should assume a visa is required and apply in advance.

Indian nationals are not eligible for online visa applications, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' visa guidance for its Washington embassy. They must apply through a Pakistan mission instead.

Which visa to choose

The portal lists eleven categories, including tourist, family visit, business, work, study, religious tourism, medical, NGO and official visas. Choose the category that matches the real purpose of your trip. A tourist visa is for sightseeing and visiting friends; a family visit visa is for visiting relatives of Pakistani origin and needs proof of that connection, such as a relative's Pakistani passport, national identity card, NICOP or birth certificate. Business travellers can also get the invitation letter they need through Pakistan's E-Business Invitation Letter System, linked from the portal.

What you need before you start

Have these ready before you open the form. A passport with at least six months of validity beyond your travel dates. A recent passport-style photograph that follows the portal's photograph guide and is no larger than 350 KB. Proof of where you will stay: either a letter of invitation from a licensed Pakistani tour operator, or hotel booking confirmations covering your trip. A travel itinerary with dates and destinations. Proof of funds, such as recent bank statements, is commonly requested. And a valid credit or debit card, Visa or Mastercard, to pay the fee online.

How to apply, step by step

First, go to visa.nadra.gov.pk and create an account, verifying it by email. The portal is also available through the Pak-ID mobile app. Second, log in and select the correct visa category. Third, complete the application form with your personal details, passport number, nationality and travel dates, exactly as they appear in your passport. Fourth, upload your documents and photograph. Fifth, pay the fee online and submit. The portal has a fee calculator: the fee depends on your nationality, the visa type and the length of stay, and the portal shows your exact fee before you pay. As one example reported in 2026, a single-entry three-month tourist visa costs about US$35 for European Union citizens; other nationalities pay different amounts, so use the calculator for your own figure.

After you submit, all communication is conducted electronically through the online system. You can check the progress of your application on the portal, and the portal also offers an online verification tool for your electronic travel authorisation and visa. If something is wrong with your application, the portal allows resubmission within seven days.

How long it takes, and when to apply

The standard processing time for an individual tourist e-visa is seven to ten working days. Extensions, if you apply for one while in Pakistan, take about two weeks. Given that the process is no longer the one-to-two-day service it was under the free scheme, apply at least four to six weeks before you travel, and longer if your trip is tied to fixed dates.

After approval, and what to avoid

Once approved, download the visa PDF and keep both a printed and a digital copy with your passport. Airlines will usually refuse boarding if you arrive without an approved visa, and immigration will refuse entry, so do not fly on the assumption that a visa can be sorted out on arrival.

Apply only through visa.nadra.gov.pk. No third-party site is official, whatever it charges: lookalike sites charge heavy service fees for filling in the same form. Never pay anyone who offers to arrange a visa outside the portal, and never travel on a visa obtained through an agent you cannot verify.

Finally, respect the terms of the visa you are given. The Directorate General of Immigration and Passports lists overstay surcharges of US$50 for an overstay of two weeks to one month, and US$200 for one to three months, with no surcharge for up to two weeks. If your plans change, apply for an extension in good time rather than overstaying.