visa administrative_barrier ai_generated true

AI tells a traveler to Pakistan they can get the free Visa Prior to Arrival (VPA) approved within 24-48 hours before their trip

ID: visa/vpa-suspended-standard-evisa-required

Also available as: JSON · Markdown
85%Fix Rate
60%Confidence
3Evidence
2026-09-03First Seen

Version Compatibility

VersionStatusIntroducedDeprecatedNotes
any active — — —

Root Cause

Pakistan's free Visa Prior to Arrival (VPA), introduced August 2024 and typically approved within 24-48 hours, was suspended for citizens of 126 countries starting 1 January 2026 with no public government announcement - the VPA option simply disappeared from the official e-visa portal (visa.nadra.gov.pk). Affected nationalities (most of the EU, US, UK, Canada, Australia, China, Japan, South Korea, and others) must now apply for a paid standard e-Visa, which takes roughly 7-10 business days and requires more supporting documents (including proof of accommodation) than the old VPA form did.

generic

Workarounds

  1. 85% success Apply for the standard e-Visa at visa.nadra.gov.pk at least 2-3 weeks before departure, with proof of accommodation and full trip details ready, and budget the applicable fee for your nationality 
    Verify current eligibility and fee on the official portal rather than a third-party list, since the suspension was applied without a formal notification and could change again without notice.

    Sources: https://easyvisa.pk/pakistan-new-visa-policy

Dead Ends

Common approaches that don't work:

  1. Tell a traveler from an EU/US/UK/Canada/Australia/China/Japan/South Korea passport to apply for the free VPA a day or two before departure, expecting approval within 24-48 hours 85% fail

    The VPA category for these 126 nationalities was withdrawn from Pakistan's official e-visa portal on 1 January 2026 with no prior notice; applicants are now routed to the paid standard e-Visa, which takes about 7-10 business days to process, so a 1-2 day timeline will miss the trip.

  2. Submit the same ~20-question form and budget the same fee-free process the old VPA used, assuming the new e-Visa application is materially the same 60% fail

    The standard e-Visa form that replaced VPA is longer and requires proof of accommodation and more extensive personal/travel details; it is also a paid application (roughly USD 35 for EU citizens, USD 60 for US/UK/Canadian citizens for a single-entry tourist visa, varying by nationality), not free like VPA was.