Since July 2026, airlines check your NICOP at check-in in London, New York or Toronto, and an expired card means you are not boarded without a Pakistani visa. This guide covers what the airline checks on the way to Pakistan, how to fix an expired card or get a visa in time, and the polio certificate you need on the way back.
Which document do you travel on?
| You hold | To enter Pakistan |
|---|---|
| A valid Pakistani passport | No visa. Travel on the Pakistani passport. |
| A British, US or Canadian passport and a valid NICOP | No visa. Show the NICOP with the foreign passport. |
| A foreign passport and an expired, cancelled or invalid NICOP | A Pakistani visa before boarding, or travel on a valid Pakistani passport. |
| A foreign passport only (no NICOP) | A Pakistani visa, applied for on the official Pakistan Online Visa System. |
Rule as clarified on 16 July 2026 (Gulf News), after an FIA directive to airlines reported by Dawn on 15 July 2026; PIA’s advisory said the updated airline rules took effect on 17 July 2026.
NICOP or POC: the difference
- NICOP is the identity card for Pakistani citizens living abroad. With a valid NICOP you are treated as a Pakistani citizen, enter without a visa and can stay without limit.
- POC (Pakistan Origin Card) is for foreign nationals of Pakistani origin: a parent or grandparent who was Pakistani, or the dependent child of a foreign spouse of a Pakistani. It also gives visa-free entry.
The expired NICOP rule (July 2026)
The Federal Investigation Agency told airlines flying to Pakistan to check that the NICOP is valid before boarding and to refuse carriage to anyone presenting an invalid, expired or cancelled card. So the check now happens at the airline desk abroad, not at the immigration counter in Islamabad or Lahore, and the airline has no discretion.
- Check your NICOP expiry date before you buy the ticket, not at the airport.
- Renew through NADRA’s online service or the Pak ID app well before you travel; the card only helps once it is issued.
- If the new card will not arrive in time, get a Pakistani visa (see applying for a Pakistan visa), or travel on a valid Pakistani passport if you have one.
- Children on foreign passports need their own NICOP or visa.
- Is your Pakistani passport the one that has expired? Overseas Pakistanis renew it online with the Directorate General of Immigration & Passports (onlinemrp.dgip.gov.pk), not with NADRA.
Before July, some travellers boarded with a renewal receipt. No official page says a receipt is accepted now, so do not rely on one. If you have already booked and your card or visa will be late, ask us to move the date or switch to a fare with flexible change rules.
Applying for a Pakistan visa
You need a visa if you travel on a British, US or Canadian passport without a valid NICOP or POC. Apply before you fly; do not count on a visa on arrival.
- Apply at visa.nadra.gov.pk; the portal lists the UK and the USA among eligible countries.
- Choose Tourist/Visit (up to three months) or Family Visit. A tourist visa needs a photo, your passport and a hotel booking.
- Pay online. Official fees on 7 October 2026 for UK and US passports: US$60 single entry, US$90 multiple entry for up to a year.
- NADRA states 7–10 working days. If your application is sent back for changes, the clock restarts, and it is cancelled if you do not resubmit within seven days.
The UK government’s travel advice adds that your passport must be valid for at least six months from the application date, and that leaving Pakistan needs an unexpired visa, a Pakistani ID or a Pakistani passport; an expired visa needs an exit permit. A law firm reported in March 2026 that visas on arrival had been suspended and processing was taking about 20 business days, so apply early.
On the way back: the polio certificate
Pakistan requires proof of polio vaccination for international departures. Nationals and long-term visitors — anyone staying four weeks or longer, of any age — should have a polio dose between four weeks and 12 months before leaving. Take the drops at a District Health Office, then download the digital certificate from NADRA’s NIMS portal or the Pak Vaccination Pass app for Rs100; it is valid for a year. If you are leaving urgently, the international airports have polio vaccination counters.
If you fly on to Umrah from Pakistan, the Saudi-side vaccinations apply too, and since 25 September 2026 Umrah passengers flying from Karachi also need the NADRA-linked vaccination card (see Umrah visa requirements).
Tickets and timing
Fares to Pakistan peak in the summer holidays, around both Eids and in the December–January wedding season. For airlines and routes, see UK to Pakistan and USA and Canada to Pakistan. Flying Saudia? You can add an Umrah stopover in Jeddah.
Facts on this page were checked on 17 October 2026 against: dawn.com · gulfnews.com · propakistani.pk · visa.nadra.gov.pk · poliofreepakistan.gov.pk · pakistantoday.com.pk · geo.tv · gov.uk