PTA Temporary Registration for Overseas Pakistanis: 120 Days Tax Free
Overseas Pakistanis visiting Pakistan can register one mobile phone with PTA for free, without paying FBR tax, for up to 120 days from their arrival date. You apply online through DIRBS temporary registration with your passport, CNIC or NICOP, the phone's IMEI and a Pakistani SIM in your name. The facility is available on every visit, but you must apply again each time.
Updated 24 October 2026
What DIRBS temporary registration is
Temporary registration is a DIRBS facility for overseas Pakistanis and foreigners on a short stay. Under FBR's policy, it lets you use your own phone on Pakistani networks for up to 120 days without paying the duty and taxes that apply to a normal registration.
Key rules from the DIRBS FAQs and FBR: - One mobile device per applicant, and it must be your own - Valid for 120 days from your date of arrival, checked against FIA travel records - Available on every visit, with a fresh application each time - The phone must leave Pakistan with you - After 120 days, the IMEI is suspended from local networks
This is separate from the paid passport registration, where you pay the tax to register a phone permanently.
Last checked: October 2026.
What you need before applying
Keep these ready: - Your passport number and travel details (arrival and planned departure dates) - CNIC or NICOP number (foreigners do not need this) - A Pakistani mobile number registered in your name on your CNIC or passport - The phone's IMEI, found by dialling *#06# - An email address for your DIRBS account
A foreign SIM cannot be used to apply. The DIRBS FAQs say the number must be issued in your name by a Pakistani operator. You can still use international roaming on your foreign SIM, which DIRBS rules allow. Most visitors buy a local SIM at the airport or a franchise using biometric verification.
How to apply: step by step
The application is online and free: - Open dirbs.pta.gov.pk and go to the Device Registration System (DRS) - Sign up, or use temporary registration login if you already have an account from an earlier visit - Choose temporary registration for overseas Pakistanis or foreigners - Enter your passport, CNIC/NICOP, travel dates and the IMEI - Submit and note the tracking ID sent by SMS
DIRBS checks your arrival against FIA records. Once approved, the phone works with your Pakistani SIM for the remaining period. For temporary registration tracking, log in to the same DRS account or check the IMEI on 8484. No PSID is involved because there is no tax to pay.
Applying late: how many days do you get?
The 120 days count from your arrival date, not from the day you apply. If you apply 30 days after landing, you get the remaining 90 days. Apply in your first few days so you get the full benefit.
Also remember the normal 60-day rule. Any genuine phone works on a Pakistani SIM for 60 days from first use, but that period does not restart on later visits. If your phone already used up its 60 days on an earlier trip, it may show 'No service' the moment you insert a local SIM. Temporary registration solves this for the current visit.
Can the 120 days be extended?
There is no extension of temporary registration. When the period ends, the IMEI is suspended. If you are staying longer, or want to keep using that phone in Pakistan, you must register it the normal way and pay the duty and taxes set by FBR. You can do this on passport or CNIC through DIRBS or *8484#.
The paid route is explained in how to register a mobile with PTA (How to Register Your Mobile with PTA (DIRBS Guide)). Payment steps are in how to pay PTA tax online (How to Pay PTA Tax Online with Your PSID). The amount depends on the phone's value and whether you register on passport or CNIC. See PTA tax on mobile phones (PTA Tax on Mobile Phones: How It Is Calculated and Paid).
Bringing phones from abroad: what to know
Overseas Pakistanis can bring mobile phones in their personal baggage. What matters on the ground is registration: - Free temporary registration covers one phone per person for 120 days - Any other phone you bring, for yourself or as a gift, has to be registered normally with tax to work on a Pakistani SIM after its 60 days - Gifted phones are registered by the person who will use them, on their own CNIC
The DIRBS registration website is meant to be used inside Pakistan, so plan to apply after you land. Customs and baggage rules for commercial quantities are a separate matter. Check Pakistan Customs before carrying several units.
Common temporary registration problems
Most failed or stuck applications come down to a few issues: - Arrival not found: DIRBS matches your details with FIA records. Use the same passport you travelled on. - SIM not in your name: a number registered to a relative will not be accepted. Get a SIM on your own CNIC, NICOP or passport. - Wrong IMEI: copy it from *#06#, not from memory or an old box. - Approved but no service: restart the phone and wait a few hours. DIRBS sends updates to operators regularly. - Second phone rejected: only one device is allowed per applicant on each visit.
If the problem continues, lodge a complaint on PTA's complaint management system with your tracking ID and IMEI. The DIRBS FAQs say complaints are handled within 7 working days. Keep your boarding pass or passport entry stamp handy in case you are asked to prove your arrival date. A family member travelling with you can register their own phone on their own passport and SIM. Each traveller gets their own one-device allowance.
Selling a temporarily registered phone: a warning for buyers
A phone under temporary registration is tied to the visitor and is meant to leave Pakistan with them. It stops working on local networks when the 120 days end. The DIRBS FAQs say anyone who receives such a phone must register it by paying the applicable duty and taxes.
If you are buying a used phone and the seller says it is 'registered' because a relative brought it from abroad, check the IMEI on 8484 yourself and ask how it was registered. A temporary registration is not a permanent PTA approval. If you want a phone without that uncertainty, buy a Non PTA or Non Custom box pack phone with its original IMEI and register it yourself. See Non PTA mobiles (Imported Mobiles) and Non PTA iPhones (iPhone Prices).
