ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has announced that it will shift entirely to e-visa services from the 1st of February, phasing out the currently antiquated manual visa system.

An official statement mentioned that "Pakistan government has decided to stop manual processing of visa cases, therefore, all visa applications will be processed through online visa portal only with effect from February 1, 2021".

The electronic visa would become a compulsory entry requirement for all travellers coming to Pakistan from the coming month, effective immediately.

Travellers have been advised to submit their applications online at the official visa system, said the official statements issued by the embassies, in which they would upload the required documents and make the necessary payments online.

“It is a welcoming step as foreigners don’t have to stand in queues all day long. They can simply apply for Pakistan visa from home, spending less time on the tedious paperwork,” said Fahad Maqbool, head of Islamabad-based travel company Travel One.

The electronic visa facility is part of the Pakistan government’s digital transformation efforts to simplify and streamline visa facilities and to encourage tourism and business visits to the country, with officials adding that the new changes would help improve efficacy and the overall management system.