Visiting Pakistan from abroad: PTA's free 120-day registration, or an eSIM?

The problem it solves

A phone bought abroad is not PTA-approved. Put a Pakistani SIM in it and it works — for sixty days. Then PTA's DIRBS system blocks the handset on local networks.

Until recently the only fix was paying the tax, which nobody on a three-week visit wanted to do. So PTA created a separate route for people coming from abroad.

PTA temporary registration — 120 days, free

According to PTA, overseas Pakistanis and foreign nationals can register a personal phone for temporary use. Once registered it works on Pakistani mobile networks for up to 120 days from the date you arrive, with no tax and no duty.

• Free — no FBR tax
• Up to 120 days from your arrival date
• Available again on each visit
• Done entirely online, on PTA's DRS portal
• You must apply within 60 days of arriving

You give your passport details, your arrival date and an address in Pakistan; Pakistani nationals are also asked for a CNIC. It is not automatic — you have to apply.

If you want to keep using the same phone on a Pakistani SIM after 120 days, it needs the normal PTA registration and the FBR tax.

• PTA — Device Registration System (DRS)
• PTA — temporary registration for overseas Pakistanis

You still need a SIM after registering

This is the part the news coverage skips. Temporary registration only permits the handset. For a number and mobile data you still need a Pakistani SIM.

Overseas Pakistanis can get one on their CNIC with a fingerprint check at any Jazz, Zong, Telenor or Ufone franchise. Foreign nationals need their passport and visa, and not every franchise handles foreign registrations. The main airports have counters too.

So the real sequence is: the registration form, then a franchise, then waiting for the SIM to activate. Anything from a few hours to a day — and the phone is on Wi-Fi only until it is done.

The other route: a roaming data eSIM

DIRBS does not apply to a roaming eSIM at all, because the handset never becomes a Pakistani operator's customer — it is a visitor on their network. So there is no registration, no franchise and no fingerprint.

Install the QR before you travel, at home in the UK, the Gulf or wherever you are. When you land, take the phone out of flight mode and it is online on Jazz. eJurs plans start at Rs. 380.

It is data only. No Pakistani number, no calls, no SMS. WhatsApp and WhatsApp calls, FaceTime, Maps, Careem and inDrive all run on data, so those work. A bank OTP sent by SMS will not arrive on it.

Which suits whom

The short answer

Staying two or three months, need a Pakistani number, dealing with banks or OTPs — register the phone and get a local SIM. It is free and it is complete.

A two or three week visit where you mostly need internet — WhatsApp with family, Maps, ride-hailing — a data eSIM is simpler. It works when you land, with no form and no queue.

Plenty of people do both: an eSIM for the first week, then the registration and a SIM at their own pace if the stay gets longer.

• Will a UK, Dubai or Saudi SIM work in Pakistan? Keeping your OTPs

Buying from eJurs while you are abroad

Know this before you start: checkout asks for a Pakistani WhatsApp number — the QR is sent there — and payment is in rupees. We take JazzCash and Easypaisa.

That is why most people abroad have a relative in Pakistan buy it: they pay, and forward the QR to you on WhatsApp. If your own Pakistani WhatsApp number is still active, you can buy it yourself.

The phone must be carrier-unlocked. A handset on a contract from a UK or Gulf carrier is often locked, and a locked phone will not take another company's eSIM.

How long does PTA temporary registration last?

Up to 120 days from your arrival date. You must apply within 60 days of arriving, and you can register again on each visit.

Is the temporary registration free?

Yes. PTA charges no tax or duty for it. To keep using the phone on a local SIM after 120 days, the normal registration and tax apply.

Can foreigners use the temporary registration?

Yes. It is open to overseas Pakistanis and to foreign nationals. You apply on the DRS portal with your passport details.

Will my UK or UAE SIM work in Pakistan?

Yes, on your own carrier's roaming — which is usually expensive. Check your carrier's Pakistan roaming rate before you fly.

Does a data eSIM need PTA registration?

No. DIRBS does not apply to a roaming eSIM, so no registration is needed. It has no Pakistani number, calls or SMS.

I am in the UK — how do I buy an eJurs eSIM?

Checkout needs a Pakistani WhatsApp number and payment in rupees, so a relative in Pakistan usually buys it and forwards the QR. You can install it before you fly.