How to Use a Non PTA Phone in Pakistan, Legally
A Non PTA phone works normally in Pakistan with a local SIM for the first 60 days after a SIM is first used in it. After that you have three legal choices: pay the PTA tax and register it, use it on Wi-Fi only (home Wi-Fi, hotspot or a pocket Wi-Fi device), or, if you are an overseas Pakistani or foreigner, use temporary registration. Everything that runs over the internet, including WhatsApp, keeps working on Wi-Fi.
Updated 24 October 2026
The first 60 days with a Pakistani SIM
According to the DIRBS FAQs, an unregistered phone gets network signal for 60 days from the day a SIM is first used in it, and that period is not renewed. During these 60 days you can make calls, use mobile data and receive SMS like on any phone.
Use this time to decide: - Generate a PSID on DIRBS or with *8484# to see the real PTA tax for your model - Decide whether the phone will be your main SIM phone or a Wi-Fi phone - If you paid less for a Non PTA box pack phone, compare the saving with the tax
Our guides on PTA tax on mobile phones (PTA Tax on Mobile Phones: How It Is Calculated and Paid) and how to pay PTA tax online (How to Pay PTA Tax Online with Your PSID) explain the tax route step by step.
Option 1: pay the PTA tax and register
Registering is the only way to use a local SIM on the phone permanently. You apply on dirbs.pta.gov.pk or with *8484#, get a PSID, pay it within 7 days at a bank, bank app or wallet, and the status changes to Approved. The phone then works with any SIM for its whole life.
The DIRBS FAQs say every IMEI in the phone must be registered. On a dual SIM or eSIM phone, that includes both IMEIs. See dual SIM and second IMEI registration (Dual SIM PTA Registration: One SIM Approved, the Other Not) for how that works.
Option 2: use it on Wi-Fi only
Many buyers keep a Non PTA iPhone or Android as a Wi-Fi phone and carry a cheap PTA approved phone for the SIM. On Wi-Fi everything that uses the internet works: - WhatsApp chats, voice and video calls - Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat and games - iCloud, Google Photos, banking apps that do not need a SIM in the same phone - App Store and Play Store updates
What does not work without a registered IMEI: normal calls, SMS and mobile data from a Pakistani SIM. Bank OTPs by SMS will go to whichever phone holds your SIM, so keep that phone nearby.
Tip: on a Wi-Fi only phone, remove the SIM or use Airplane mode with Wi-Fi on. This stops the phone searching for a network it cannot use, which saves battery.
Pocket Wi-Fi, hotspot and 'non PTA sim device' options
To use data on a Non PTA iPhone or Android away from home, you need a Wi-Fi source: - Mobile hotspot from your second, PTA approved phone - A pocket Wi-Fi or MiFi device from Jazz, Zong, Ufone or Telenor, which takes a data SIM and creates a Wi-Fi network for your phones - Office, café or university Wi-Fi
A MiFi device is the cleanest wifi device for a Non PTA mobile, because the SIM sits in an approved device and your phone only connects over Wi-Fi.
Be careful with anything sold as a 'non PTA SIM device', SIM adapter or chip that claims to make a local SIM work inside the phone itself. These are a legal grey area at best, they often rely on altered or borrowed IMEIs, and PTA has warned against patched and tampered phones. We do not recommend or sell them. Our CPID vs patch vs PTA approved guide (CPID vs Patch vs PTA Approved Mobile: What Is the Difference?) explains the risk.
Does eSIM work on a Non PTA phone in Pakistan?
Pakistani operators now offer eSIMs, but an eSIM is not a way around registration. On an iPhone or Android with eSIM, the eSIM uses its own IMEI (the digital IMEI). DIRBS treats it like any other IMEI: - A local eSIM works during the 60 days, then needs the phone to be registered - When you register, include every IMEI, physical and eSIM, as the DIRBS FAQs ask - On some iPhones bought abroad, only eSIM is available, so check the model before you buy
To activate an eSIM on a Non PTA iPhone, visit the operator's service centre with your CNIC, or use the operator's app where it is offered. They scan a QR code into Settings > Mobile Service > Add eSIM.
International travel eSIMs connect as roaming visitors and are generally used by people visiting Pakistan. They are costly for daily use and not a long-term solution for residents.
Option 3: temporary registration for overseas Pakistanis
If you live abroad and visit Pakistan, the DIRBS FAQs describe a temporary registration that lets one phone work with one declared Pakistani number for up to 120 days from the date of arrival. It is free, but meant for visitors, not residents. Our guide on PTA temporary registration for overseas Pakistanis (PTA Temporary Registration for Overseas Pakistanis: 120 Days Tax Free) covers the steps. Visitors can also register their phone on passport, which has its own tax rate.
Non PTA iPhone Wi-Fi problems and quick fixes
A Non PTA iPhone has no special Wi-Fi limits. If Wi-Fi drops or is slow, the cause is the same as on any iPhone: - Forget the network and join again - Turn off 'Private Wi-Fi Address' for your home router if it keeps disconnecting - Reset network settings in Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset - Restart the router after load-shedding, since many routers do not reconnect properly - Update iOS
If a seller says Wi-Fi only works after a 'patch', that is a modified phone, not a normal Non PTA unit.
Choosing a Non PTA phone that suits you
If you plan to pay the tax, a mid-range Android usually has lower PTA tax than a flagship iPhone. If you plan Wi-Fi only use, a used Non PTA iPhone 13, 14 or 15 gives you a lot of phone for the money. Our Android stock is Non Custom box pack, our iPhone 16 and 17 units are box pack, and our iPhone 11 to 15 units are used Non PTA with 95–99% battery health. All are factory unlocked with original IMEIs. See Non PTA mobiles (Imported Mobiles) and Non PTA iPhone (iPhone Prices) for current models.
