ISLAMABAD: The Directorate General of Immigration and Passports has announced that passport fees will now be accepted only through the designated Raast QR code, ending payment through IBFT using an IBAN or Passport Fee Asaan using PSID.
In a statement, the department advised applicants to use the designated Raast QR code to avoid inconvenience.
The move is part of efforts to shift passport offices towards cashless payments and make fee collection faster and easier for applicants.
The National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) has enabled digital passport fee collection through Raast Person-to-Merchant (P2M) QR, allowing citizens to make payments through the mobile applications of participating banks.
Director General Immigration and Passports Muhammad Ali Randhawa recently visited NBP’s head office in Karachi with his team to review the implementation of the Raast-based payment system. He held discussions with senior NBP officials, including Abdul Wahid Sethi, SEVP and Group Chief/CFO of the Financial Control Group; Faisal Topra, SEVP and Group Chief of the Operations Group; and Adnan Nasir, CDO and Group Chief of the Digital Banking Group.
The meeting reviewed the performance of the Raast-based solution and discussed further options, including a possible PSID-based alternative mechanism, to improve convenience and ensure continuity of passport fee collections.
ALSO READ >>>
>>> Umrah, Hajj travellers from Karachi must get NADRA-linked vaccine certificates
Randhawa had earlier directed officials to make the passport fee payment process simpler, faster and more user-friendly. During a visit to Passport Headquarters in August, he personally tested the QR-based payment system and expressed satisfaction with the digital process.
Sethi said NBP considered digital transformation an important tool for making public services more accessible and efficient. He said the bank remained committed to supporting the government’s cashless Pakistan agenda.
Randhawa appreciated NBP’s cooperation in expanding digital payments and improving public service delivery.
Raast is Pakistan’s instant payment system that facilitates digital transactions between individuals, businesses and government entities.
