r/Overseas_Pakistani • u/Achar0 • 1h ago
r/Overseas_Pakistani • u/AutoModerator • Oct 13 '23
Weekend Thread | ہفتہ وار تبادلۂ خیال /r/Overseas_Pakistani Weekend thread (October 13, 2023)
This is our weekend thread. Feel free to share how your week went, what's on your mind, or anything else.
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r/Overseas_Pakistani • u/[deleted] • Feb 20 '22
Immigration | مہاجرت و سفر NICOPs and Pakistani Citizenship
TL;DR - if you have a NICOP, you are a Pakistani citizen, even if you never set foot in Pakistan. If you were ever Pakistani citizen, then more then likely, you probably still are. If you don't want to be a Pakistani citizen, you have to go through a procedure to surrender it. Read on for more details.
I've seen a lot of posts over the years that discuss NICOPs and Pakistani citizenship. Every few weeks, someone asks if having a NICOP is Pakistani citizenship. I've also met many Pakistanis (overseas and within Pakistan) that don't understand how citizenship in Pakistan works for those who go or are overseas.
Contrary to what many people think, Pakistani citizenship is not automatically voided when a Pakistani naturalizes in another country. Even if your oath of naturalization says that you surrender all foreign allegiances, the citizenship remains.
Many older Pakistanis, especially those who left Pakistan in the 1960s-1980s believe that their Pakistani citizenship was voided when they became British/Canadian/American, etc. This is not true per current Pakistani law. They simply don't have active IDs/passports. Just like a person born in the US or Canada. The person is a citizen even if they have no passport. Or, a child born in Pakistan without a B-Form, they are still Pakistani.
Pakistani citizenship can only be lost if one goes to a Pakistani consulate/embassy and goes through a formal renunciation process. This is not automatic, and most people don't do it because they simply don't need to or care to. It's not a complicated process, but it's still it's own, separate process. Fill out forms, surrender passport and ID, pay fees, etc. This is usually done by Pakistanis who naturalized in countries that don't allow dual citizenship, such as Germany, Spain, and (previously) Norway, but anyone can do it if they want.
Now, the confusion occurs because Pakistan will grant a visa to a UK/US/CAN citizen even if that person also has Pakistani citizenship. It's counterintuitive to need a visa to travel to a country in which you are a citizen, which is why many think "how could I still have Pakistani citizenship if I got a visa?". Pakistan, however, will allow a Pakistani citizen to travel to Pakistan on a foreign passport with a visa, hence the widespread confusion.
So here is where the NICOP comes in. NICOP stands for National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis. The card gives visa free travel, right to have a bank account, etc. It also gives the right to vote. This card is proof of Pakistani citizenship, and can be used to get a Pakistani passport if desired. Many people think this is just for dual citizens, but some Pakistanis working or studying abroad also have NICOPs even if they are only Pakistani.
Note that the new NICOP looks just like a Smart CNIC, but the "country of stay" will not be Pakistan, and the card will say "the holder is entitled to visa free entry" (something to this effect). Old NICOPs actually said "National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis" on them, but Smart NICOPs do not, so there is some confusion nowadays (people thinking that they have an NIC and not a NICOP)
Here is the biggest place where many people get confused. Many people in the 2nd, 3rd, and now 4th generation born abread have also received NICOP cards even if they were born with another citizenship (UK, CAN, US, etc). They are often under the impression that this is just a "card in place of a visa". "I don't have Pakistani Citizenship, that's just an ID". Not true. By getting a NICOP, you are basically registered as a Pakistani citizen who doesn't reside in Pakistan.
Other ways you could be still be a Pakistani citizen and not know it, assuming formal renunciation process was not done:
- If you were born in Pakistan and naturalized elsewhere, you are a dual citizen
- If you have, or ever had a NICOP, CNIC, CRC, B-form, you are a dual citizen
- If your birth was registered at the Pakistani consulate (Form S, or similar), then you would be a dual citizen
- If you ever held a Pakistani passport, you are a dual citizen.
- If you were listed as a child on your parents' Pakistani passport, you are a dual citizen. (In the old days, kids didn't have their own passports and travelled on their parent's passport)
- You were registered as a Pakistani citizen because your parents became Pakistani and applied for it on your behalf (Form M) - not common, but legally possible.
Pakistan does have another card, Pakistan Origin Card (POC), which grants visa free travel and a few other privileges. This card, however, is not Pakistani citizenship. So those who wish to travel often to Pakistan and don't want a visa, but also don't want a NICOP, may find the POC appealing.
Acquiring, renouncing, and/or retaining citizenship is a personal choice. This post was simply written to clarify the misunderstanding that "NICOP isn't citizenship" (again, NICOP is proof of citizenship).
Edit: It is a common misconception that Pakistani citizenship is only given to those who are "desi", Muslim, or those whose parents are Pakistani. This is not true. There are Pakistani citizens who are Hindu, Sikh, Christian, Buddhist, Ahmadi ,etc. "Desi" is a somewhat subjective term as well.
The Pakistan Citizenship Act grants citizenship to anyone born in Pakistan, even if the parents are non Pakistani. The only exception is for children of diplomats (which is not uncommon). There is no exception for refugees or even those who are in transit. This has been argued in court many times. So yes, that means that technically those who are of Afghani, Bengali, or Rohingya descent but born in Pakistan are technically citizens (there are many individual court cases, no class action case though). Of course the reality on the ground is different. Just as anyone born in the US or Canada is a citizen (children of refugees too), the same applies in Pakistan. People should be aware of this and not deny their fellow citizens their rights (don't get me started about the hypocrisy).
r/Overseas_Pakistani • u/mamichulathefirst • 1d ago
Miscellaneous | مزید hey guyss!
i study in liverpool but live in manchester! kinda missing hanging out with pakistani people and was wondering whether there is anyone in this sub who lives nearby.
i study comp sci and in my free time i like to read books, go to the gym and cafe hopping. also i am interested in improving my urdu skills so it would be nice to meet someone who could help out (i really wanna be able to read books in urdu) and also would like some recommendations
lmk if anyone is interested in befriending each other :))
r/Overseas_Pakistani • u/Cool_Secretary2388 • 1d ago
Immigration | مہاجرت و سفر Letter of entitlement from driver licensing authority
r/Overseas_Pakistani • u/trudealz • 1d ago
Finance | معاشی Anyone purchased are car through a sceheme, Apna roshan?
salaams people
Has anyone purchased a car through a bank scheme or a dealer on instalments perhaps?
I would like to know if it was easy, straight forward, and issues and pitfalls I need to be aware off etc? I
want something around 70/80 lakh mark and want to put a deposit down of 50%.
r/Overseas_Pakistani • u/Meer_7 • 1d ago
Immigration | مہاجرت و سفر I have to registered my phone on PTA overseas temporary registration
Asalamoalikum Everyone! Anyone recently registered his/her phone via overseas temporary registration on PTA website? I have tried from both my IPhone and android tab but dirbs.pta.gov.pk is unreachable. My flight is tomorrow and I really need this to work. Any help will be greatly appreciated.
P.s: Data roaming is already on and there no physical sim both E sims are active.
r/Overseas_Pakistani • u/egoistic_engineer • 2d ago
Immigration | مہاجرت و سفر DOB issue in the NICOP of a 3-month-old
Hi everyone,
I hope you are all doing well. I recently applied for a NICOP for my son, who is almost 3.5 months old, via the executive service on the PakID application. When I received the card, it had the wrong date of birth, with a difference of only three days.
I tried to modify the NICOP on PakID, but it requires a liveness check, and every time I attempt to take a photo, it is not accepted. I requested that my father in Pakistan visit NADRA, and they said the error could be fixed upon arrival in Pakistan; they said the same thing when I registered an online complaint. Now they are saying I can travel with this NICOP despite the incorrect date of birth. I am traveling next month, and because their app is so poor, I am unable to modify it. Should I travel with this NICOP and explain the mistake? I uploaded his foreign passport and birth certificate with the application, but they still made the error.
Regardless, should I travel with NICOP or apply for a visa? I started applying for the visa now, but their website is not accepting his post office photo that meets passport standards.
Any advice would be appreciated.
r/Overseas_Pakistani • u/Winter_Apricot9149 • 2d ago
Miscellaneous | مزید Looking for friends
Male Looking for Pakistani male friends in Germany. Dm if interested.
r/Overseas_Pakistani • u/IllustriousTune9547 • 3d ago
Miscellaneous | مزید Turning emotionally unavailable
Hi, I’m male 26 going through the arranged marriage rishta process, and even when there are very good prospects, with me working in my field while pursuing my studies and my father having a well-established business, I’m constantly asked how long it will take me to get my passport.
Alhamdulillah, getting citizenship is very much a possibility given my current trajectory, but these questions are making me feel emotionally unavailable for my future wife.
I’ve already declined two proposals simply because the families directly asked about my residency status and passport timeline. I understand that these things matter when considering marriage, but being asked about them so early makes me feel like I’m being valued for my immigration prospects rather than who I am as a person.
I feel like I’m being used, and honestly, I don’t know how to deal with this feeling.
I know that if I get married, I can be a very good provider, but I’m worried that I won’t be a good partner because this whole process is making me emotionally guarded.
What should I do? Am I overthinking this, or is it understandable to feel this way?
r/Overseas_Pakistani • u/DifficultAct6586 • 3d ago
Immigration | مہاجرت و سفر Y-Form
Has anyone had their Pakistani citizenship reinstated? An acquaintance of mine says he's been waiting for over six months, and the Consulate office isn't really responding to him; instead, he's being insulted and ignored.
r/Overseas_Pakistani • u/yamagama • 3d ago
Miscellaneous | مزید Wheelchair Assistance in PIA
Assalam u Alaikum!
Has anyone opted for wheelchair assistance from an airline? I am particularly interested in PIA and Saudi Air. I am looking to book it for my Ammi for Hajj between Islamabad and Madina and then Jeddah to Islamabad. I have heard that no one takes much responsibility. Is that correct?
r/Overseas_Pakistani • u/Stunning_Agency_4805 • 3d ago
Careers & Education | تعلیم و پیشہ Urgent Help needed for my 2 sisters' Matric (9th Grade FBISE) Private vs School Registration in UAE
Assalam-o-Alaikum everyone,
Mujhe apni do choti behno (twins, age 15, turning 16 this December) ki parhai ke silsile mein aap sab ki urgent madad aur genuine guidance chahiye.
Background:
Dono ne Pakistan se 7th class clear ki thi, uske baad hum log UAE shift ho gaye. Financial difficulties aur heavy school fees ki wajah se hum unhein yahan kisi school mein admission nahi karwa sakay, jis wajah se unka 8th grade drop ho gaya. Hum school ya academy ki fees afford nahi kar sakte, isliye mein khud unhein ghar pe parhaunga (Self-study).
Hum plan kar rahe hain ke wo direct Federal Board (FBISE) se Matric Part-1 (SSC-I / Grade 9) Humanities (Arts) Stream ke exams dein taake unka saal mazeed kharab na ho. Mera main motive yeh hai ke wo 9th aur 10th ghar pe parhein (since 9th/10th ka combined single certificate hota hai), lekin 11th aur 12th class wo lazmi kisi regular physical school se karein.
Mujhe aap sab se is important mamlay par clear advice chahiye:
Private vs Regular Candidate Tag: Agar hum direct board portal se unhein "Private Candidate"register karwaein, to kya 10th ke baad unhein UAE ke regular physical schools mein 11th class (HSSC-I) mein admission mil jayega? Maine suna hai ke private candidate ko 11th/12th bhi privately hi karni parti hai, kya yeh sach hai ?
School Registration Route: Agar hum UAE ke kisi Pakistani school se baat karke unhein sirf exams ke liye register karwaein (parhein wo ghar pe hi mere sath), to kya unka certificate "Regular Candidate" ka aayega? Kya is route se 11th class mein physical regular school jana zyada aasan hoga compared to completely private candidate? Yahan Sharjah/Dubai mein kaunse schools yeh option dete hain aur unke charges kya honge ?
8th Class Certificate Issue: Unke paas 8th class ka passing certificate nahi hai. Agar hum direct 9th class ke liye portal se private register karein, to kya Federal Board 8th class ka certificate mangta hai ya age limit (16 years) ke mutabiq direct admission ho jata hai ?
Books & Syllabus Problem: Main Federal Board aur government textbooks ki websites dekh kar thak chuka hoon, UAE mein links open nahi hotay ya broken hain. Kya kisi ke paas Class 9 Humanities
English (Compulsory)-I
Urdu (Compulsory)-I
Islamiyat (Compulsory)-I
Tarjumatul Quran-I
Functional Mathematics-I
General Science-I
Civics-I .
Economics-I
ki complete free PDFs ya Google drive links hain ?
Main apni behno ki parhai ko lekar bohot pareshan hoon. Agar aap mein se koi is process se guzra hai ya system ko achi tarah jaanta hai, to please mujhe sahi guidance dein, aap ki bohot meharbani hogi.
JazakAllah Khair!
r/Overseas_Pakistani • u/Dry-Mud-8084 • 4d ago
News | خبر Why are NADRA so backward
the embassy is a hundred miles away from my city. NADRA visited my city and held an open day for issuing and renewing NICOP POC etc. the hours where from 10am - 4pm.
Their was a long queue from 9 o clock in the morning so every single slot had gone half an hour before they where scheduled to start. NADRA arrived two hours late and had just started to set up the machines at 11am. Lots of families who waited all day had to go home. they are so short staffed their isnt anyone to speak to to get on a waiting list.
NADRA have been to my city dozens of times they know how busy they are expected to be. why are they so understaffed and undertrained. Wer have to pay about £60 to £100 for a NADRA card, why cant they get their act together. They are so bad there is zero point in complaining because they dont care and will just make things really hard for you for complaining
Alhamdulillah, the experience really made me appreciate my local council here in UK
r/Overseas_Pakistani • u/oopsyousee • 4d ago
Miscellaneous | مزید Help
Hi everyone, I am afraid i might have lost my Pakistani passport.
Im currently in UK
Does anyone know how long it currently takes to get a replacement Pakistani passport?
Also, how quickly are appointments being allocated? Is it possible to get an appointment within a couple of days?
I’m due to travel on 22nd November and I’m worried I might not receive my new passport in time.
Has anyone recently gone through the process? Based on your experience, do you think I’ll get my passport before my travel date, or should I consider postponing my flight?
Any advice or recent experiences would be really appreciated. Thank you!
r/Overseas_Pakistani • u/ZestycloseToday2684 • 4d ago
Remittance | ترسیل رقم Title: Freelancing in Pakistan after moving back from Malaysia – Need advice from returning overseas Pakistanis
AoA everyone!
I’ve been living in Malaysia for the last 12 years, but due to some circumstances, my family and I now have to relocate back to Pakistan.
One of my biggest concerns is continuing my freelancing and online side gigs after the move. Alhamdulillah, I’ve built up a decent income through multiple online gigs, with most of my clients based in the USA, Europe, and Australia. I’d like to continue working with them after returning to Pakistan.
The challenge is that I currently use several payment methods in Malaysia:
- PayPal: Linked to my Malaysian e-wallet, which allows me to transfer money to my local Malaysian bank account when needed.
- Wise and Payoneer: I already have accounts with both services.
- Amazon gift cards: Some clients also pay me this way.
Since PayPal doesn’t officially operate in Pakistan, I’m trying to figure out the best way to manage international payments once I relocate.
A few questions for anyone who has been through a similar situation:
- PayPal: Is there any legitimate way to continue managing my existing Malaysian PayPal account after moving to Pakistan, or would my change of residency create problems? though my Malaysian bank account will require updating only in 2028.
- Wise and Payoneer: Can I continue using my existing Malaysian accounts from Pakistan, or would I need to update my residency details, change my account type, or open new accounts?
- Receiving international payments: What payment methods are Pakistani freelancers currently using to receive money from clients in the USA, Europe, and Australia?
- Bank withdrawals: Which Pakistani banks work well for receiving international freelance payments, particularly in terms of fees, exchange rates, and reliability?
- Before relocating: Is there anything I should arrange while I’m still in Malaysia to avoid payment disruptions?
I’d particularly appreciate advice from overseas Pakistanis who returned to Pakistan after living abroad and continued freelancing for international clients.
I want to make sure I can continue earning without running into account restrictions or payment issues after the move.
JazakAllah khair for any practical advice or experiences you can share!
r/Overseas_Pakistani • u/Quaid-e-Charisma • 4d ago
Immigration | مہاجرت و سفر Can someone please clarify the vaccination situation regarding international travel at Karachi airport?
r/Overseas_Pakistani • u/High_Risk999 • 4d ago
Careers & Education | تعلیم و پیشہ Argentina student visa
reddit.comr/Overseas_Pakistani • u/CompleteAd2433 • 4d ago
Miscellaneous | مزید Passport Renewal Timeline - Pakistan High Commission London
How long does the urgent/fast-track passport renewal take if done through the Pakistan High Commission in London?
r/Overseas_Pakistani • u/Minute_707 • 4d ago
Miscellaneous | مزید Urgent: Pakistan eVisa question for an 18-month-old
Sorry if it has been asked earlier, if so please redirect me to that post.
Applying through the Pakistan Online Visa System, Family Visit category, for my 18-month-old.
- Child holds a [US] passport
- Both parents are Pakistani citizens with valid Pakistani passports
- Both parents are already listed in the Family Information section, marked as traveling with the child
We're applying for a visa, not NICOP or a Pakistani passport, because of time
The issue: the Friend/Relative Information section asks whether the applicant has friends or relatives in Pakistan. The child's only relatives there are the grandparents.
The "Relationship to You" dropdown has no Grandparent option. The choices are Son, Daughter, Spouse, Mother, Father, Friend, Guardian, Brother, Sister, and Cousin.
If you've applied for a child in the same situation, what did you select, and was the visa approved without issues?
I've also emailed the Pakistani Consulate but posting here while waiting for their response.
Thanks in advance!
Update: Selected the guardian option and provided grandparents details. Visa was granted in 3 days.
r/Overseas_Pakistani • u/Bigkinghere • 4d ago
Miscellaneous | مزید scam calls
getting these scam calls from fake consulate in CA and Ny. i keep blocking their numbers but not sure if thats good enough. Is there a formal way to raise this issue with any agency? FTC? Anyone done that yet?
for reference:
r/Overseas_Pakistani • u/Beginning-Fly9049 • 5d ago
Miscellaneous | مزید Pakistani Visa
I applied for Pakistan Visa on 10/9/2026 for myself and my 1 month old. I had a nicop but it had expired so applied for visa.
I have just uploaded the mandatory docs, should I have uploaded other documents too?
We have an upcoming flight on 10/23. Is there any chance that it can be rejected? I am just worried, should I also apply for urgent nicop in the meantime?
r/Overseas_Pakistani • u/JustBrownBear • 5d ago
Immigration | مہاجرت و سفر Mandatory vaccination at Lahore Airport?
r/Overseas_Pakistani • u/AuntyKaCrush • 5d ago
Finance | معاشی Kya karun? Pakistan se bahir jana chahta hun, lekin savings aur skills dono limited hain.
r/Overseas_Pakistani • u/Sensitive_Sense_2349 • 5d ago
Miscellaneous | مزید NICOP renewal for kid through Pak ID
Hi All
Trying to renew my kid’s NICOP. I successfully renewed mine and my Wife’s but when trying to renew for the kid, the verification photo fails and rightfully so because the photo Nadra has was of a new born Baby.
Has anyone gone through this and found a way ?
Going to a consulate is a nightmare and its too far from our place.
Please help, or provide inputs.
Thankyou