To get a Pakistan tourist (visit) visa, apply online before you travel through the Pakistan Online Visa System at visa.nadra.gov.pk, run by NADRA, Pakistan's national database authority. There is no other official website for the application. Since 1 January 2026 there has been no free fast-track visa and no general visa on arrival for tourists, and a standard e-visa takes about 7 to 10 working days.
This guide covers who is eligible, what the application needs, how long it takes, and what changed at the start of 2026.
Who needs a visa, and who doesn't
Citizens of Bahrain, Kuwait, the Maldives, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates can enter Pakistan visa-free for up to 90 days. Nepali citizens get 30 days visa-free. Everyone else needs a visa of some kind before or on arrival.
A handful of nationalities, including India and Israel, cannot use the standard e-visa system and must apply through other, more restricted channels. If that applies to you, check with your nearest Pakistani mission directly rather than relying on the general process below.
The e-visa: how it works
The tourist e-visa is applied for entirely online, ahead of travel:
- Create an account at visa.nadra.gov.pk and select the tourist visa category.
- Upload your documents. Typically a passport scan with at least six months' validity, a recent digital photograph, and your travel details. Since 2026 the form also asks for more personal and travel information, including proof of where you will stay, so have a hotel booking or host's address ready.
- Pay the fee online, by card. The fee depends on your nationality and the visa's validity and number of entries, so check the amount shown for your passport at the time of applying rather than a figure quoted elsewhere.
- Wait for processing. The portal has generally taken around 7 to 10 working days in 2026, longer in peak season around summer, Eid and the December holidays. Apply well ahead of your trip, not the week before.
- Print or save the approval. You'll be asked to show it, alongside your passport, on arrival.
Tourist e-visas are typically issued for a set period with either single or multiple entry, and the exact validity varies by nationality. Confirm the specific terms of your visa when it is issued, since they are not the same for every passport.
What changed on 1 January 2026
From August 2024 Pakistan ran a free "Visa Prior to Arrival" (VPA) scheme for citizens of 126 countries, usually approved within a day or two. It was suspended without a formal announcement from 1 January 2026, when the option disappeared from the e-visa portal. If you have read older advice describing a fast, free visa, it is out of date: the standard paid e-visa through the NADRA portal is now the main route for most nationalities, and there has been no official word on whether the VPA will return.
Is there still a visa on arrival?
Not reliably, for most tourists. General visa on arrival for tourists has been withdrawn for most nationalities since the start of 2026. Older guidance listed narrow exceptions, such as Turkish nationals holding a valid Schengen, UK or US visa, but we could not confirm these against an official 2026 source, so check with a Pakistani mission before relying on one. A business visa on arrival has existed separately for some nationalities, but that is a different category from tourism.
If you are planning a tourist trip, assume you need to apply and have your e-visa approved before you fly, and don't build your plans around getting one at the airport.
Other visa categories
The same NADRA portal handles several other categories beyond the ordinary tourist visa, including a business visa, a student visa, and a family visit visa for people visiting relatives in Pakistan, among others. If you are travelling to join a Pakistani spouse or their family rather than as a general tourist, our guide to the Pakistan visa for a foreign spouse covers the family visit visa and the longer-term Pakistan Origin Card in more detail.
What the visa doesn't cover
A tourist visa gets you into the country; it doesn't automatically clear you for every area of it. A small number of places near the borders with China, Afghanistan and India, and near the Line of Control in Azad Kashmir, need a separate No Objection Certificate on top of your visa. The main tourist routes in Gilgit-Baltistan, Punjab and most of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa don't need one. Our guide to NOCs and restricted areas for foreigners sets out exactly where the line falls and how to apply if you need one.
At the airport, keep your printed or downloaded e-visa approval with your passport for immigration, and expect it to be checked again at some hotels and northern checkpoints during your trip. Hotels in Pakistan register foreign guests' passport and visa details as a matter of routine; this is standard practice, not a sign of anything unusual.
Extending a visa or leaving and coming back
If your trip runs longer than your visa allows, extensions are handled in Pakistan through the Ministry of Interior's Directorate General of Immigration and Passports, not through the NADRA e-visa portal. Apply before your existing visa expires; approval is not guaranteed and can take longer than the original visa did, so it is far simpler to apply for the right validity and number of entries from the start. If you plan to leave Pakistan partway through your trip, for example on a side visit to a neighbouring country, make sure your visa is issued for multiple entry, not single entry, before you book that leg.
Applying with children
Children travelling with you need their own passport and, in most cases, their own visa application, even if they are included on a parent's booking. Add extra time for gathering documents, since children's passports sometimes have shorter validity than an adult's.
What we tell first-time visitors
Apply for your e-visa as soon as your dates are fixed, ideally three to four weeks ahead, and treat processing time as something that can stretch in busy seasons. Keep a digital and a printed copy of your approval, since some hotels and checkpoints, especially in the north, ask to see it alongside your passport. For a full first-time route through the country, see our two-week Pakistan itinerary for foreign visitors, and our travel guide for the rest of the practical planning.
Frequently asked questions
How do I apply for a Pakistan tourist visa?
Apply online at visa.nadra.gov.pk, the official government e-visa portal. You'll need a passport scan, a photograph and your travel details, and you pay the fee for your nationality online by card.
What is the Pakistan Online Visa System?
It is the government's official e-visa website, visa.nadra.gov.pk, run by NADRA. Tourist, business, family visit and other visa applications are all made and paid for there, and the approval is sent to you to show on arrival.
How long does a Pakistan e-visa take to process?
Around 7 to 10 working days in normal periods during 2026, and up to about 15 working days in peak season around summer, Eid and December. Apply several weeks before you travel rather than at the last minute.
Can I still get a visa on arrival in Pakistan?
Generally no, for tourist visas, since general visa on arrival and the free Visa Prior to Arrival scheme were withdrawn from 1 January 2026. Apply for your e-visa online in advance instead, and check with a Pakistani mission if you have been told your nationality is an exception.
Which countries don't need a visa for Pakistan?
Citizens of Bahrain, Kuwait, the Maldives, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE can enter visa-free for up to 90 days, and Nepali citizens for up to 30 days. Everyone else needs a visa before or on arrival.
How much does a Pakistan tourist e-visa cost?
The fee depends on your nationality and the visa type, and it is shown to you during the online application before you pay. Because it varies so much by passport, check the current fee for yours at visa.nadra.gov.pk rather than relying on a number quoted elsewhere.
