Traveling to Pakistan as Dual Citizen

I

Ifty

Registered Users (C)
I am now US Citizen. I would like to know if some body has experienced enter/exit on Pakistani passport in Pakistan and enter/exit on US passport in US?

I know theoretically you can do it. But sometime FIA in Pakistan creates problem, therefore I would like to know if somebody has done it.
 
Don't quote me on this, but I think there is an international law that you can only carry one passport at a time when travelling or at the very least only travel on one passport at a time. Considering how things are going nowadays, I highly recommend that you apply for a National ID Card for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP) and enter Pakistan using that with your US Passport.

Once inside of Pakistan, I also recommend that you get the Urdu version of NICOP, that is the Computerized National ID Card (CNIC). There are a lot of security checksposts in most cities where citizens are randomly asked to produce their "shanakhti card" or CNIC. Legally displaying the NICOP at such situations is completely acceptable, it was my observation though that it leaves much room for harrasment by the security officers once they see the foreign address on the NICOP. This sort of situation can be easily dodged by having a CNIC with a local address. You can get a CNIC within a week if you agree to the most urgent delivery method.

Good Luck.

Stoned.
 
Triple Citizen said:
No such law!!!
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In that case the OP can enter on the Pakistani Passport or get the NICOP to avoid maintaining two passports. I would still suggest getting a CNIC for discretionary purposes within Pakistan as was recommended to me by an employee of NADRA when I last visited couple of months ago.


Stoned!
 
My only objection would be, why get a CNIC if the OP is not a resident of Pakistan? I have not lived in Karachi/Pakistan since 1989. If I get a CNIC, in my opinion, that would be fraudulent. Just my 2 cents.

StonedAnt said:
I would still suggest getting a CNIC for discretionary purposes within Pakistan as was recommended to me by an employee of NADRA when I last visited couple of months ago.
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It's not fraudulant, perfectly legal as was explained to me. Getting the CNIC is just a recommendation considering the conditions in the Pakiland on my few trips in the last couple of years. But then again, I like to be extra cautious and be ready for everything.


Stoned!
 
NICOP allows visa-free entry into Pakistan without a Pakistani Passport and also contains all the benefits of the CNIC so technically one doesn't need a CNIC.

With that said, based on my experience as a visitor to Pakistan in the last couple of years, I have seen how the overseas Pakistanis become target of harrasment by local police/authorities. Especially nowadays due to the fragile security situation, one is asked to produce their ID card quite frequently, of course more in some cities than others. Having a CNIC does not expose you as a foreigner and thus helps in avoiding to become potential target for harrasment. Of course, if one does not have any property, bank account, address, ties etc in Pakistan and are purely a visitor, then getting a CNIC will not be that easy.

Stoned!
 
I already have CNIC. I just became US Citizen (Jan 14, 2010), Since my original CNIC expired in 2009 I have renewed again and it is valid until 2019. Do you see any difference going to Pakistan on Pakistani Visa (on US Passport) as compare to NICOP. All my kids have Pakistani visa and so far we have travelled on that.
 
Ifty said:
I already have CNIC. I just became US Citizen (Jan 14, 2010), Since my original CNIC expired in 2009 I have renewed again and it is valid until 2019. Do you see any difference going to Pakistan on Pakistani Visa (on US Passport) as compare to NICOP. All my kids have Pakistani visa and so far we have travelled on that.
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The only difference I noticed was the line for visitors with foreign passports/visas was three to four times longer than that of people with Pakistani passports. Having a NICOP allows you to stand in the residents line and knowing how messy baggage collection area is at Pakistani airports, I personally like to get the immigration portion done as quickly as possible.

Stoned!
 
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