Doorstep passport delivery, AI chatbot in pipeline

The DGIP is preparing to roll out a series of digital facilitation measures, including nationwide home delivery of passports and the introduction of an AI-based chatbot to assist applicants, Passports DG Muhammad Ali Randhawa said on Sunday.

The planned reforms aim to reduce procedural delays, ease public access to services, and shift the passport system further toward digital and cashless operations.

The initiatives are part of a broader effort to modernise service delivery and reduce reliance on physical counters.

"Applicants will soon have the option to get passports delivered to their doorsteps," he said, adding that discussions with a courier service company were underway for this purpose.

"After an agreement is signed, the facility will be available across the country. Under this initiative, passports of those ready to pay nominal courier charges will be shipped directly to their addresses from Islamabad," he said.

Randhawa said the service would initially be launched within Pakistan, with plans to extend it to overseas Pakistanis in a second phase.

"Meanwhile, a chatbot will also be launched soon," he said. "Applicants will be able to get guidelines through it on procedures and document requirements, and check the status of their passports after submission."

He said the digital assistant would also help reduce pressure on the department's call centre, "which is also being expanded".

A proposal to allow full online submission of passport applications is under "serious" consideration.

"Officials are considering either launching a dedicated app similar to National Database Registration Authority's (Nadra) Pak-ID or expanding the scope of Nadra's app to accept passport applications," he stated.

Randhawa added that applicants would be able to upload previous passports and photographs through the app for registration.