The Government of Pakistan has decided to require overseas Pakistanis traveling on foreign passports to obtain a Pakistani visa if their National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP) has expired or is invalid. Travelers with valid NICOPs, however, can travel using the document.
According to local media, the directive applies to travelers without a valid NICOP from any country, including Britain, the United States, European countries and elsewhere. They said all zonal directors of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had been directed to convey the decision to every airline operating inbound flights to Pakistan.
Any airline with a traveler that does not possess a valid Pakistani visa, NICOP or Pakistani passport has been instructed to bar them from boarding the plane. Travelers possessing valid NICOPs, however, would continue to enjoy visa-free travel to Pakistan.
The government had previously been allowing overseas Pakistanis to travel on invalid or expired NICOPs. While a law regarding valid travel documents is in place, it has been rarely enforced prior to the latest instructions.
Government officials maintain the move aligns travel regulations with other state services, where an expired CNIC or NICOP can lead to the suspension of banking, SIM, and property rights.