New law lets Pakistanis hold dual nationality with 22 countries

Pakistan has formalised new dual citizenship arrangements with 22 countries under the Pakistan Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2024, allowing its nationals to retain Pakistani citizenship even after acquiring nationality of these countries.

The Directorate General of Immigration and Passports, a sub-department of the Ministry of Interior, confirmed that Pakistani citizens will no longer be required to renounce their Pakistani nationality if they obtain citizenship from any of the 22 designated countries.

This marks a significant departure from the previous policy, under which only a few select countries had such agreements with Pakistan.

The bill has been approved by the National Assembly’s Standing Committee and is expected to be fully implemented following final parliamentary approval.

The Ministry of Law clarified during a recent briefing that many countries require proof of citizenship renunciation before granting new nationality, which created complications for Pakistanis abroad. The amendment aims to resolve these issues and reinstate citizenship rights for affected individuals.

Director General of Passports and Immigration Mustafa Jamal Qazi confirmed that formal agreements are now in place with countries across Europe, the Middle East, North America, and Oceania.

He emphasized that dual nationals will no longer face legal obligations to give up their Pakistani citizenship when acquiring citizenship of these states.

Among the countries now included in the agreement are the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia, France, Italy, Belgium, Iceland, New Zealand, Finland, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Switzerland, Netherlands, Sweden, Ireland, Bahrain, Denmark, Germany, Norway, and Luxembourg.

The UK, US, Canada, and Australia were already part of existing dual nationality arrangements with Pakistan, while the rest represent new additions.

Pakistan has also begun working toward a similar agreement with Turkiye. A draft proposal is being reviewed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Interior, following Turkiye’s suggestion to enable mutual dual citizenship rights between the two countries.