According to the latest update from the Pakistan Government, Mandatory PCR policy has been reduced from 96 hours to 72 hours. As per the latest update published by Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority, the list of countries for A & B category remained the same whereas category C has been revised for passengers flying to Pakistan. The new rule would come into effect from February 1, 2021.
The timing of the Covid-19 PCR test will start when the passenger gives a swab test at the authorized medical facility. Earlier, it was 96 hours. It has been reduced to 72 hours for passengers traveling to Pakistan from the UAE and other countries.
According to the Civil aviation authority, passengers from the countries placed in categories B and C will be required to provide a negative RT-PCR test, conducted 96 hours prior to the flight.
New standard operating procedures have been issued by Pakistan Civil aviation authority due to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases and deaths.
The countries in list A and B category is unchanged whereas there is revision for category C for the passengers visiting Pakistan.
Airlines Permanently Waived Off International Change Fees
People from six countries including South Africa, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Ireland, Portugal and Netherlands will be affected by the restrictions imposed by Pakistan CAA. The restrictions will be in place till February 28, 2021.
Under some circumstances, the permission will be given by National Command and Operation Center, which is the decision-making body for COVID-19. For the countries in category B and C, the PCR test requirement is reduced from 96 to 76 hours.
Are airlines offering Covid-19 testing?
The travelers included in category-A from 24 countries don’t need to produce COVID-19 PCR test certificate for traveling to Pakistan. The People placed in Category-B are required to have PCR Negative Test result 72 hours prior to commencement of travel to Pakistan.
Pass Track app, which is developed by the National Information Technology Board, Government of Pakistan is mandatory for all travelers to Pakistan.
Few exemptions from this restriction of PCR Negative test and PASS TRACK requirement are passengers of 12 years or less, disabled passengers, and High-level delegations.
U.S. Requires Negative COVID-19 Results From All International Travelers
PCR test application for Pakistan departures
- Travelers from Category A countries to Pakistan are not required to present PCR Negative Test certificate
- Travelers from Category B- Countries to Pakistan are required to have PCR Negative Test result max 72 hours (Result date must be considered) prior to commencement of first travel
- Travelers from Category C- According to regulations published by Pakistan National Command and Operations Center(NCOC), Countries included in category C are only allowed to enter Pakistan
- The PASS TRACK application is mandatory for all travelers to Pakistan. In order to obtain a boarding pass at the first origin of the journey, all passengers must submit their information either on the PASS TRACK application or as a printed copy of the application
- Passengers have exempted from both PCR Negative Test as well as PASS TRACK requirement including Children less than 12 years, Disables Passenger and High level international delegations
- All passengers and crew members flying to Pakistan are required to fill “Health Declaration Form”
- Passengers, who have been to countries in Category B in the last 14 days; however, continue their travel from a transit/transfer country in Category A, are required to carry PCR test and PASS TRACK Application both
- Passengers, who have started traveling from Category A but have layover in Turkey more than 24 hours, are requested to take a PCR test
Countries included in Category A
| SR | Country | SR | Country |
| 1 | Australia | 13 | New Zealand |
| 2 | China | 14 | Philippines |
| 3 | Cuba | 15 | Qatar |
| 4 | Finland | 16 | Rwanda |
| 5 | Ghana | 17 | South Korea |
| 6 | Iceland | 18 | Saudi Arabia |
| 7 | Iraq | 19 | Singapore |
| 8 | Kazakhstan | 20 | South Sudan |
| 9 | Madagascar | 21 | Sri Lanka |
| 10 | Maldives(MLE) | 22 | Togo |
| 11 | Mongolia | 23 | Trinidad and Tobago |
| 12 | Myanmar | 24 | Vietnam |
Countries included in Category B
International travelers to Pakistan from countries not specified in Category A, require COVID-19 PCR test before traveling to Pakistan (Max 72 hours old). All countries not specified in Category A & C, Falls in Category B
Countries included in Category C
International Travelers from countries included in Category C are restricted and only allowed as guided by NCOC
| SR | Country |
| 1 | South Africa |
| 2 | United Kingdom |
| 3 | Brazil |
| 4 | Ireland |
| 5 | Portugal |
| 6 | Netherland |
