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For Pakistani residents: passport, NICOP and Embassy of Pakistan services in Doha
How Pakistanis living in Qatar renew a passport (online or at the embassy), get or renew a NICOP through NADRA, register children born in Qatar, get a Pakistani police certificate or attestation, and where to turn for welfare help, including the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation.
Last reviewed: 13 October 2026
- Where
- Embassy of Pakistan, Onaiza (Diplomatic Area), Doha; tel 4483 2525
- NICOP fee
- QAR 75 normal, QAR 110 urgent, QAR 150 executive (plus QAR 3 bank fee)
- Online options
- Passport renewal at onlinemrp.dgip.gov.pk; NICOP via the Pak ID app
- Payment
- Card only at the NADRA token counter
For Pakistanis living in Qatar, most official paperwork runs through two counters at the Embassy of Pakistan in Doha: the Passport (IMPASS) counters and the NADRA counters for identity cards. Many of these services can now be started online, through Pakistan's passport portal or NADRA's Pak ID app, so a trip to the embassy is not always needed. This guide explains what each service is for, in the order you are most likely to need them: check your passport and NICOP, renew what is expiring, register children, then documents such as police certificates and attestation. The Qatar side of things, such as moving your residence permit to a new passport or getting a Qatar police certificate, is covered in separate guides linked below. Rules and fees are set in Pakistan and change often, so always confirm on the embassy's official channels before you go.
Before you start
- Your current Pakistani passport (original and a copy of the photo page)
- Your CNIC or NICOP, even if expired, or at least its number
- Valid Qatar ID (QID) and a copy of front and back
- A debit or credit card: NADRA fees at the embassy are paid by card only
- For children: the Qatar birth certificate, both parents' NICOP/CNIC and passports
- For a NICOP or family certificate: CNIC/NICOP numbers of parents or a close blood relative
- A smartphone with the Pak ID app (NADRA) if you want to apply for NICOP online
- An email address and Pakistani or Qatari mobile number you can access, for online accounts and tracking
Step by step
Know which counter does what
The Embassy of Pakistan is in the Diplomatic Area at Onaiza (Zone 66, Street 905, Building 77). Passport work is handled at the Passport (IMPASS) counters and identity cards at the NADRA counters; attestation and other consular work, and Community Welfare Attachés for labour and welfare problems, sit in separate sections. Services are given by token on a first-come, first-served basis, so arrive early in the morning on a working day (Sunday to Thursday). Opening hours and holiday closures change, so check the embassy's website or social media before you go. The main number is 4483 2525.
Check your passport and NICOP dates
Look at the expiry date on both your passport and your NICOP or CNIC. Qatar needs a valid passport to renew your residence permit, and airlines usually want at least six months left. Since July 2026 Pakistan's FIA has told airlines to check that a NICOP is valid before boarding; this matters most if you or your children travel on a foreign passport using a NICOP instead of a visa. Start renewals early, because processing can take a month and system outages have delayed missions in the past.
Read guide: Renew your Qatar ID →Renew your passport online if you can
The Directorate General of Immigration and Passports (DGIP) runs an online renewal service at onlinemrp.dgip.gov.pk. It is meant for people whose details match their previous passport and NADRA record, and whose passport is already expired or has up to a year left. You create an account, enter your details, upload a photo and documents, and pay by card; you then choose home delivery or collection from the embassy. If your name, marital status or other details have changed, or the portal rejects you, apply in person instead.
Or renew at the embassy
For in-person applications go to the Passport counters with your old passport, CNIC/NICOP and QID. Your photo and fingerprints are taken at the counter, and you pay the fee shown for your passport type and speed (normal or urgent, 5 or 10 years). Children over two normally have to come in person. Keep the receipt; it shows your tracking number. Ask at the counter whether e-passports (with a chip) are being issued in Doha yet; when Pakistan moved its UAE missions to e-passports in 2026 the launch was delayed, and machine-readable passports stay valid until they expire.
Collect the new passport and update your residency
Track your application on the DGIP website and collect the new passport from the embassy when it is ready (bring the receipt and old passport). Your Qatar residence permit is linked to your old passport number, so the new passport must be registered with Qatar's immigration system. Your employer's PRO or your sponsor usually does this. Do not travel before it is updated, or you may face problems at the airport.
Read guide: Got a new passport? Updating it in your Qatar residence record →Get or renew your NICOP
The NICOP (National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis) is the ID card for Pakistanis living abroad. You can apply through NADRA's Pak ID app: choose NICOP, pick new, renewal, modification or reprint, upload a photo and documents, complete biometric verification and pay by card. At the embassy's NADRA counters you get a token and pay at the token station, then photo, fingerprints, signature and data entry are done, and you check a printed form before submission. Normal delivery takes about 30 days, urgent about 20 and executive about 7.
Register a child born in Qatar
First get the child's Qatari birth certificate and register the birth for Qatar residency. Then the child needs to be registered with NADRA, through a Child Registration Certificate or a NICOP for children, before a Pakistani passport can be issued. Both parents' CNIC/NICOP details are needed, and a Family Registration Certificate (FRC, QAR 40) can prove the family tree. Ask the NADRA counter or the Pak ID app which document applies to your child's age.
Read guide: Newborn in Qatar: birth certificate, passport and residence permit →Know about the POC and FRC
The Pakistan Origin Card (POC) is for foreign nationals of Pakistani origin, for example children who have another nationality; it allows visa-free entry and long stays in Pakistan. A Family Registration Certificate (FRC) lists your family members as recorded by NADRA and is often asked for in visa, inheritance and school cases. Both are applied for at the NADRA counters or online. Eligibility for the POC has restrictions, so check before you apply.
Get a Pakistani police character certificate
Countries such as Canada or Australia often want a police certificate from every country you have lived in, which means one from Pakistan as well as one from Qatar. Pakistani missions accept applications for police character certificates, and some provinces (such as Punjab and Islamabad) have online systems. In August 2026 the federal government approved a single online system run by the National Police Bureau, so check with the embassy for the current route. The Qatar certificate is a separate process through the Ministry of Interior.
Read guide: Police clearance certificate (good conduct) in Qatar →Sort out attestation and power of attorney
Pakistani degrees used for a job or family visa in Qatar are attested in Pakistan (HEC, then the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then the Qatar Embassy in Islamabad) and then in Qatar. The embassy in Doha attests documents for use in Pakistan, such as a power of attorney so a relative can deal with property, banks or courts for you. You usually have to sign in person in front of the officer with your passport and CNIC/NICOP, and bring copies of the attorney's ID.
Read guide: Attesting your degree for Qatar: the full chain →Join the OPF and know your welfare contacts
The Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) offers members accident insurance, a death grant to families, school fee discounts, scholarships and housing schemes. Workers who went abroad through the Protector of Emigrants are registered automatically; others can join voluntarily through membership.opf.org.pk and pay by card. For unpaid salary, ill-treatment, arrests or a death, contact the Community Welfare Attachés at the embassy, who work with Qatari authorities and help with repatriation.
Read guide: Filing a labour complaint in Qatar: unpaid salary and other disputes →Stay registered and informed
In March 2026 the embassy launched an online Pakistani Community Survey so it can reach nationals quickly in an emergency; filling it in is a good idea. Follow the embassy's official website and social media for notices on passport outages, holiday closures and new services, and ignore agents who claim to speed things up for a fee. When sending money home, use licensed channels.
Read guide: Sending money home from Qatar: options, fees and limits →
What it costs
| NICOP new, renewal, duplicate or modification (normal, about 30 days) | QAR 75 |
| NICOP urgent (about 20 days) | QAR 110 |
| NICOP executive (about 7 days) | QAR 150 |
| Bank charge per NADRA transaction at the embassy | QAR 3 |
| Family Registration Certificate (FRC) | QAR 40 |
Official fees at the time of review. Fees change, so confirm before paying.
Common mistakes
- Letting a NICOP expire and then trying to fly to Pakistan on a foreign passport: airlines now refuse boarding without a valid NICOP or visa
- Travelling on a new passport before Qatar's system has been updated with the new passport number
- Bringing cash to the NADRA counter: payment is by card only and the receipt is valid only for that day
- Paying agents who promise faster passports; use the official portal or the embassy counters
- Leaving passport renewal to the last month before a residence permit renewal or holiday
- Using the online renewal when your details have changed (name, marital status); it will be rejected and you lose time
- Confusing the Pakistani police certificate with Qatar's police clearance; many visa applications need both
Questions people ask
Can I renew my Pakistani passport online from Qatar?
Yes, if your details match your previous passport and NADRA record and your passport has expired or has up to a year left. Apply at onlinemrp.dgip.gov.pk, pay by card, and choose delivery or collection. If anything has changed, apply in person at the embassy.
My NICOP has expired. Can I still travel to Pakistan?
If you travel on a Pakistani passport, the passport is what matters, but you should still renew the NICOP because it is needed for banking, SIM cards and property. If you travel on a foreign passport, since July 2026 you need a valid NICOP or a Pakistani visa; airlines will not board you with an expired one.
How long does a NICOP take and how much is it in Qatar?
At the embassy it is QAR 75 for normal (about 30 days), QAR 110 urgent (about 20 days) and QAR 150 executive (about 7 days), plus a QAR 3 bank charge. Fees in the Pak ID app are shown before you pay.
Does the Doha embassy issue e-passports?
Pakistan has been moving missions abroad to e-passports, but launches in the Gulf have been delayed. Machine-readable passports remain valid until they expire. Check the embassy's current notice before applying.
How do I get a passport for my baby born in Qatar?
Get the Qatari birth certificate first, then register the child with NADRA (child registration or NICOP) using both parents' details, and then apply for the passport. Once the passport is issued, the baby's Qatar residency can be completed.
I need a Pakistani police certificate for an immigration application. Do I have to go to Pakistan?
No, you can usually apply through the embassy or, for some provinces, online. Processing depends on police in Pakistan and can take weeks. A relative in Pakistan can also apply with an authority letter attested by the embassy.
What does the OPF do if a worker dies in Qatar?
The OPF pays a death grant to the family of a member who dies while working abroad on a valid work visa and offers free ambulance transport from the airport in Pakistan to the hometown. The embassy's Community Welfare Attachés help with paperwork in Qatar.
Who do I call at the embassy for a labour problem?
Call the embassy on 4483 2525 and ask for the Community Welfare Attaché (Labour). The emergency alternate number listed by the embassy is 6688 4393. For the Qatari complaint process, see our labour complaint guide.
Official sources
- MOFA Pakistan: NADRA services at the Embassy in Doha ↗
- MOFA Pakistan: Embassy of Pakistan Doha contacts ↗
- DGIP: passport FAQ and online renewal ↗
- Overseas Pakistanis Foundation: membership ↗
- Gulf News: Pakistan clears confusion over NICOP travel rules (July 2026) ↗
- The Peninsula: Pakistan Embassy launches online registration (March 2026) ↗
Always check the official source before acting. QatarSteps is independent and not a government website.