1. Existing Visa Policy:

2. Further Concessions in the new Policy.
a) Work Permit.
b) Opening of Project/Branch/Liaison Office.
c) Issuance of Work Visa.

3. Grant of Pakistan’s Citizenship to Foreign National.

IMMIGRATION PROCEDURE

1. EXISTING VISA POLICY:
To facilitate travel and the stay in Pakistan of foreign businessmen and investors, the visa policy has been considerably relaxed.
Salient features of the existing policy are as under:
Businessmen an investors, from the 43 countries listed below, with substantial investment in Pakistan would be granted multiple entry visas valid for three years:
Australia Austria Belgium
Bahrain Brunei Canada
China Czech Republic Denmark France Finland Germany
Greece Hong Kong Hungry
India Iceland Indonesia
Iran Ireland Italy
Japan Kenya Kuwait
Luxembourg Malaysia Netherlands
New Zealand Norway Oman
Poland Portugal Qatar
Saudi Arabia Singapore South Korea
Spain Sweden Switzerland
Thailand Turkey U.A.E.
U.K. U.S.A.

businessmen from the listed countries who want to establish business offices in Pakistan would be issued multiple entry visa for one year on recommendations of their embassies/missions in Pakistan;

businessmen/investors from any of the listed countries where there is no Pakistani Embassy will also be allowed thirty days landing permit on arrival at the airport in Pakistan;

multiple entry resident visas for a period of three years will be issued to foreigners (except citizens of countries which are not recognized by Pakistan) who bring in an amount of US$ 200,000/- (Two Hundred Thousand);

Pakistani industrialists/businessmen interested to invite foreign entrepreneurs from countries, other than listed, for promotion of trade and industrial cooperation would be allowed to sponsor, on their guarantee, the grant of visa for one month through Chambers of Commerce and Industry at lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta, Islamabad and the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry; and

there is no restriction/requirement for work permit for foreign managerial and technical personnel for gainful employment/occupation in private firms/companies in Pakistan. The other categories of personnel will required work permission/visa which will be issued on the basis of No Objection Certificate/Work Permit by the Board of Investment, Karachi Office (former Investment Promotion Bureau).

2. FURTHER CONCESSIONS IN THE NEW POLICY
a. Work Permit
At present, the expatriate technical and managerial personnel working in manufacturing/industrial sector are exempt from obtaining work permits. The same facility will be extended to expatriates working with Infrastructure Projects.

In other cases, where the matter is referred by the Board of Investment to the concerned Government agencies, they will make sure that their clearance or otherwise is sent to BOI within a maximum period of 4 weeks.

Work permits will be issued for a period of 3 to 5 years - or validity of the Passports.
b. Opening of Project/Branch/Liaison Office
In case of requests for opening branch, liaison or representative office by a foreign company, time limit of clearance/comments by concerned agencies/Ministries will be 4 weeks.

In case of the establishment of Project Office by foreign Companies, present procedure will continue.

The existing procedure of getting prior permission/registration with State Bank in respect of opening the branches of foreign banks will be continued.

The permission for opening of branch/liaison office will be granted by BOI for a period of 3 to 5 years. Further extension will be granted by BOI after reviewing/examine the performance of foreign company during previous permitted period. The request for renewal/extension will however, not be referred to other Ministries/Agencies.
c. Issuance of Work Visas
Work Visa will be issued within a maximum time of one (1) month after the receipt of request alongwith the required documentation.

Multiple entry visa for 3 years will be issued to foreign investors and expatriate employees subject to submission of complete documentation by their employer company and they hold work permit/passports valid for 3 years. In case multiple entry visa is granted, the number of entries will not be restricted to any specified limit.

Ministry of Interior will issue instructions, to the concerned Pakistani Mission abroad for grant of work visa till the vanity of work permit or passport which ever is earlier, within a week after the receipt of request provided BOI issues work permits on the basis of NOC of Ministry of interior. In emergent cases, Ministry of Interior will issue work visas up to 3 months to a foreigner on the recommendation of BOI or on the request of the employer (as the case may be) without any clearance. However, further extension will be allowed after completing necessary formalities, i.e. production of work permit (in case it is required and obtaining security clearance.

Business Visa will be issued on the same day basis.

In case of the projects in power, petroleum exploration, communication etc., concerned Agency or the management of such projects will identify the requirement of expatriate personnel. Accordingly, Ministry of Interior would issue visas subject to condition that particulars alongwith supporting documents of the expatriate personnel are furnished to the Ministry.

For the purpose of changing the category of visa of foreign national employees/investors, from business visa to work visa, the condition to go out of Pakistan to any third country and get it converted from Pakistani Mission in that country, will be withdrawnl. In future, Ministry of Interior will process such requests on getting verification from BOI. The Ministry may levy a reasonable fee for conversion of visa category.
3. Grant of Pakistan’s Citizenship to Foreign Nationals (Investors)
By allowing the Pakistani Citizenship to foreign investors, potential foreign businessmen could provide an additional source of foreign investment for Pakistan. Any person of a country recognized by Pakistan, may get Pakistani Citizenship by investing a minimum of US$ 0.75 million in tangible assets and $ 0.25 million (or equivalent in major foreign currency) in cash, both on non-repatriable basis and subject to fulfillment of the conditions of Pakistan Citizenship Law. It is clarified that transfer on non-repatriable means that the amount will be brought to Pakistan through normal banking channels, converted into rupee and never remitted back through the free market

plz pray,
Sardarzada

__________________
God is dead! God remains dead! And we have killed him! How shall we console ourselves, the most murderous of all murderers? The holiest and the mightiest that the world has hitherto possessed, has bled to death under our knife....