Travelling to Pakistan on a NICOP or a Pakistan Origin Card (POC) means entering without a visa; these documents exist specifically to give overseas Pakistanis and their foreign-national family members visa-free entry. The two are easily confused and cover different people, and getting the wrong one, or assuming a family member is automatically covered by yours, causes real problems at check-in. This guide sets out who each document is for, how entry actually works, and what to check before you travel with children.
NICOP vs POC: who each one is for
- NICOP (National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis) is for people who remain Pakistani citizens while living abroad, including those who hold dual nationality with a country Pakistan recognises for that purpose. A NICOP holder travels on their Pakistani passport as well as their foreign one and enters Pakistan visa-free, the same as any other Pakistani citizen.
- POC (Pakistan Origin Card) is for people of Pakistani origin who are not Pakistani citizens. That includes people who gave up Pakistani citizenship to take another nationality that doesn't permit dual citizenship, and the foreign-national spouses and minor children of NICOP or POC holders. A POC gives visa-free, indefinite entry and the right to live, work and buy property in Pakistan, but it is not citizenship: POC holders don't get a Pakistani passport and can't vote.
The practical test is simple: if you're still legally a Pakistani citizen, you need NICOP. If you're not, and your connection to Pakistan is through birth, parentage or marriage, you need POC. Someone who already holds a NICOP cannot also apply for a POC, because the two are for different citizenship statuses.
How entry actually works
At the airport, you present your NICOP or POC alongside your foreign passport. E-immigration counters at Pakistan's main airports, including Jinnah International in Karachi and Allama Iqbal International in Lahore, are set up to process these documents alongside standard passports. You don't go through the e-visa process at all, and there's no separate visa fee or approval to arrange beforehand.
What trips people up is turning up with an expired card, or a card that hasn't yet been updated after a name change, a new foreign passport number, or a child ageing out of a category. Check your NICOP or POC is current and that the details match your current passport well before you travel, since renewing it from abroad takes time.
Applying for a NICOP or POC before you travel
Both are handled by NADRA and are applied for through the same general process, from abroad or from inside Pakistan:
- Register online through NADRA's Pak Identity portal or the PakID app, and choose the correct card and category (new, renewal or modification).
- Upload your documents and photo, and add the witnesses the application requires.
- Pay the processing fee online. Fees and processing times vary by country and by how urgently you need the card, so check the current figures for your consulate rather than a number quoted elsewhere.
- Attend your local Pakistani embassy or consulate for biometrics, usually a short appointment once your documents are accepted.
- Wait for the card, with faster paid options generally available alongside the standard processing time.
Apply well before your trip. Processing a first-time application, especially for a POC that involves proving a family relationship, routinely takes weeks rather than days, and it is not something to start the month before you fly.
Travelling with children
Children don't automatically travel on a parent's NICOP or POC status. Each child needs their own document if they're going to enter visa-free: a NICOP if they hold Pakistani citizenship in their own right, or a POC if they're a foreign-national child of a NICOP or POC holder. Check this well ahead of travel, since a child without the right document either needs a standard visa or can't rely on your card to cover them, and applying for a child's first NICOP or POC generally needs the same parental documentation as any other identity application.
What NICOP and POC don't cover
Visa-free entry through NICOP or POC gets you into the country; it doesn't automatically clear every region of it. A small number of areas near Pakistan's borders and near the Line of Control in Azad Kashmir still require a separate No Objection Certificate regardless of what document you entered on. Our guide to NOCs for foreigners in Pakistan explains where that applies. It's also worth knowing that entering Pakistan on Pakistani travel documents, rather than as a foreign tourist on a visa, generally means you're treated as a Pakistani citizen for legal purposes while you're there, which can affect how much your other country's embassy is able to do for you if something goes wrong. Check your own government's guidance on dual nationality before you travel.
If you'd rather just use a visa
If your NICOP or POC has lapsed, or a family member isn't eligible for either, a standard e-visa through visa.nadra.gov.pk is the fallback, and for people joining Pakistani family specifically, the family visit visa on the same portal is usually a better fit than the general tourist category. Our guide to the Pakistan tourist visa covers that process in full, and our guide to the Pakistan visa for a foreign spouse covers the family visit route specifically.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use my NICOP or POC to enter Pakistan without a visa?
Yes. Both documents exist specifically to give holders visa-free entry, processed through dedicated e-immigration counters at Pakistan's main airports alongside your foreign passport.
Do my children need their own NICOP or POC?
Yes, in almost all cases. A child needs their own valid NICOP or POC to enter visa-free; they don't automatically inherit visa-free entry from a parent's card, and applying for a child's document takes the same basic process as an adult's.
What's the difference between NICOP and POC?
NICOP is for people who remain Pakistani citizens while living abroad. POC is for people of Pakistani origin who are not Pakistani citizens, including former citizens and the foreign spouses and children of NICOP or POC holders. Only NICOP allows travel on a Pakistani passport.
How long does it take to get a NICOP or POC from abroad?
Processing varies by country and by whether you choose standard or expedited service, and it routinely takes several weeks from application to card in hand. Apply well before your travel dates rather than close to them.
Does a NICOP or POC let me travel anywhere in Pakistan?
Not entirely. A few border areas and parts of Azad Kashmir near the Line of Control require a separate No Objection Certificate regardless of your entry document. Most standard tourist routes don't.
