JEDDAH, 12 July 2005 — Pakistan Consul General Masood Akhtar said yesterday that the mission would start issuing new digital passports from July 23. The consulate will receive applications from 8.30 a.m. to 10.30, he said.
Masood said the consulate would not renew old passports after their validity period expired.
He said that while applying for the digital passports, Pakistanis would need their new computerized identity cards and old passports. Citizens with old identification cards will not be issued new passports.
The consul general also said children would need their own passports and the old practice of adding names to parents’ passports was being discontinued.
The consulate hopes to issue between 300 and 350 passports a day. The cost of the new passport is SR301 (urgent) and SR158 (ordinary). Those who pay urgent fees will get the new passport in five days, while others will get the passports after 12 days.
