Sim card

Arrived on a visa?

If you've arrived on a visa, you must visit a main branch of any cell network provider here in Pakistan.

They will offer you a 30-day SIM card that can be renewed. Make sure to take your passport along with your visa (an electronic visa is accepted) to get your local SIM.

The price for a 30-day SIM, including calls and sufficient internet data, starts at around £6.

It's important to know that not every cell network branch can offer services to foreigners.

If you've traveled on a visa, you must visit a main branch only. For example, in Islamabad, one such location is the Jazz Experience Centre in the Blue Area. They are equipped to handle the visa verification required to issue you a SIM card.

Please see on the map the location for the Jazz Experience Centre.

Pakistani ID card holder

If you hold a Pakistani ID card, you are considered a resident here (even without a passport). This entitles you to a maximum of two SIM cards, which will be linked to your ID.

However, before you can obtain a SIM, you must update your biometrics at a local NADRA office. Even if you've submitted your biometrics online or through a Western consulate, the local Pakistani database will not have them on their national records. While this foreign submission allows you to enter the country using the airport finger scanners, your information isn't in the local system.

Visiting a local NADRA office is mandatory. Once you are at the counter, simply state that you are there to 'update your biometrics'; this should allow you to be seen fairly quickly. For convenience, there are 24/7 NADRA offices available in Pakistan, such as the one in Blue Area, Islamabad.