If you've been putting off a passport visit because of long queues, there's now more room in the day to get it done. Eight regional passport offices across Pakistan have extended their working hours, and citizens can now be served well into the night.
What's Changed
Under directives from Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, the eight offices will now operate in two back-to-back shifts instead of standard daytime hours. The first shift runs from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and the second shift continues from 4:00 PM to 12:00 AM (midnight). The decision was finalised at a meeting chaired by Director General of Immigration and Passports Muhammad Ali Randhawa, with zonal heads and senior officials reviewing service delivery and public facilitation measures.
New Timings At A Glance
| Shift | Timing | Days |
|---|---|---|
| First Shift | 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM | Monday to Friday |
| Second Shift | 4:00 PM – 12:00 AM (Midnight) | Monday to Friday |
Which Cities Are Affected
The extended, double-shift timings currently apply to these eight regional passport offices only:
- Faisalabad
- Gujranwala
- Multan
- Bahawalpur
- Peshawar
- Rawalpindi
- Hyderabad
- Quetta
Why Now — The Garden Town Incident
This change didn't come out of nowhere. Earlier this month, Naqvi made a surprise visit to the Garden Town Passport Office in Lahore and found citizens waiting in long lines for hours. Applicants told him about alleged agents offering faster processing in exchange for extra payments — one citizen said he had paid Rs 5,500 to an agent. An elderly applicant also said staff told him his passport hadn't been printed yet, despite being told it would be ready that day.
After hearing these complaints, Naqvi ordered the removal of the Passport Office in-charge over alleged mismanagement, and the removal of the FIA Lahore Deputy Director Anti-Corruption over the alleged presence of an agent network at the office. He said the treatment citizens had received was unacceptable and that there would be no compromise on faster, better service.
What This Means If You're Applying for a Passport
If your nearest office is one of the eight listed above, you now have a much wider window to visit — including evenings after work, right up to midnight. This is aimed at easing the daytime rush and cutting down waiting times, especially for people who can't easily take time off during standard working hours.
Final Thoughts
If you live near Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Multan, Bahawalpur, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Hyderabad, or Quetta, you can now plan your passport visit around a much longer window — including evenings. For every other city, keep an eye on your local office for any future extension, and always apply and pay through official DGIP channels only.
Official source: Directorate General of Immigration & Passports (DGIP)
