Information on the documentation required by a Pakistani consular office in order to issue a three-month passport and a five-year passport; and on the documentation required by the applicant to prove his religious affiliation [PAK20117.E]

The following information was provided in a 29 March 1995 telephone interview with an official of the High Commission for the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, in Ottawa. This information was subsequently corroborated and clarified with comments by the First Secretary of the Pakistani High Commission of Ottawa, in a letter dated 20 April 1995, which was faxed to the DIRB. Any additional clarifying comments from the First Secretary has been so indicated.

Both sources stated that the regular Pakistani passport is valid for five years (29 Mar. 1995; 20 Apr. 1995). In order to obtain a five-year Pakistani passport, the applicant must provide the Pakistani consular office with his/her old Pakistani passport and his/her Pakistani national ID card (ibid.). The First Secretary stated that if the applicant does not present his/her passport application form to the Pakistani consular office in person, an attestation from the president of the applicant's Pakistan-Canadian Association, stating that s/he knows the applicant, must also be provided to the consular office (20 Apr. 1995).

Both sources stated that if the applicant has lost his/her old Pakistani passport, s/he must provide the consular office with the police report on the loss. The consular office must also contact the issuing office in Pakistan that issued the applicant's original passport. Once confirmation of the original passport is obtained, the consular office in Canada will issue the applicant with a new passport (29 Mar. 1995; 20 Apr. 1995). The First Secretary stated that the consular office will also check the applicant's status in Canada by checking his/her immigration documents (20 Apr. 1995). He added that the new passport is issued only for the period the lost passport remains valid (ibid.).

Both sources stated that a three-month passport is only issued to an applicant who has lost his/her original Pakistani passport when an emergency necessitates the applicant's presence in Pakistan; otherwise, s/he would be issued a normal Pakistani passport, which the First Secretary stated would be valid for the remaining period the lost passport remains valid (20 Apr. 1995). According to both sources, the applicant must, however, provide the Pakistani consular office with proof of the emergency (29 Mar. 1995; 20 Apr. 1995). In order to obtain a three-month Pakistani passport, both sources stated that the applicant must provide the Pakistani consular office with his/her Pakistani national ID card. The First Secretary stated that if the applicant does not present his/her passport application form to the Pakistani consular office in person, an attestation from the president of the applicant's Pakistan-Canadian Association, stating that s/he knows the applicant, must also be provided to the consular office (20 Apr. 1995). Furthermore, according to the First Secretary, if, because of the emergency, the usual confirmation of the original passport from the issuing office is not received by the Pakistani consular office, the applicant must present other documentation, such as education certificates or a birth certificate (ibid.).

The First Secretary stated that the applicant "does not have to provide documentary proof of his/her religious affiliation prior to being issued with a Pakistani passport" (20 Apr. 1995).

According to the First Secretary, usually the expired passport sufficiently verifies the information provided to the Pakistani consular office by the applicant. "If there is a change in status such as profession, name (in the case of married lady), address, etc. further proofs are requested" (20 Apr. 1995). The First Secretary did not specify the documentation which would be required as further proof.

A copy of a Pakistani passport application form is attached to Response to Information Request PAK20118.E of 18 March 1995.

For information on the procedures to obtain a Pakistani passport in Canada, please refer to Response to Information Request PAK19144.E of 15 December 1994. Information on obtaining a Pakistani passport in Pakistan can be found in Response to Information Request PAK19170.E of 16 December 1994. Both these Responses are available at Regional Documentation Centres.

This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

References


High Commission for the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Ottawa. 20 April 1995. Letter containing comments to the DIRB's letter of 30 March 1995, faxed to the DIRB by the First Secretary.

_____. 29 March 1995. Telephone interview with official.