Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment

Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment (BEOE)^[1] Is a Pakistani government bureau, to regulate overseas employment. It was created on 1 October 1971 by the amalgamation of three federal government departments:- National Manpower Council, Protectorate of Emigrants and Directorate of Seamen’s Welfare. The Bureau started functioning under the Emigration Act of 1922 and Rules (1959) which were subsequently replaced by the Emigration Ordinance 1979 XVIII and Rules made thereunder. The Bureau has evolved a systematic emigration policy under the emigration laws.

The Bureau is a regulatory body/authority controls, regulates, facilitates and monitors the emigration process conducted by the Overseas Employment Promoters (OEPs), in the private sector which are more or less 1119, besides direct employment by which mode the individual procures foreign employment either through his own efforts or relatives and friends serving abroad.

Passport Stamping

It is necessary for every Pakistani having a work visa to get their passport stamped by the Protectorate of Emigrants, in order to

Pakistan. While persons having i are exempted from the Protector. Without a stamped passport, airport personnel in Pakistan will not allow a Pakistani national to take an international flight. The original purpose of this protection was to get proper data of the emigrant, cover the emigrant through life insurance and to eliminate illegal international travel.

Steps for Visa Protection

• NICOP, National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis is the first attribute of the process. Only a token receipt of NICOP is enough for passport protection process. NICOP is a computerized card for identification of a single person visiting a particular country. This card is issued by NADRA, National Database and Registration Authority within 15 days of application submission for urgent applications and within 45 days for normal applications. It will cost at least 3000 PKR (2500 PKR for normal application submission and PKR 6000 for urgent applications of NICOP). This is an important fact that NICOP receipt is necessary for Protectorate of Emigrants department but the original plastic card is not necessary to travel outside Pakistan. This means a person who does not have NICOP plastic card, can still travel outside Pakistan.
• VISA - Work Permit: An original visa or its photocopy is required.
• Pakistani Passport: An original Pakistani passport is needed for visa protection and this is also pre-requisite of NICOP too.
• Pakistani CNIC, Computerized National Identity Card: You need original Pakistani CNIC for Visa protection & This is also pre-requisite of NICOP too.
• Medical Reports: This is only required for certain countries (Mostly in Middle East). Call the Protectorate office and check with them if you need medical examination. There are certain GCC approved medical centers^[2] for conducting the medical examination and giving you fitness report that you have to submit at the protectorate office. In medical examination following test are conducted

1. Eye sight
2. Chest X ray
3. Blood test
4. Urine test
5. Physical examination

They need 4 passport size photographs, photo copy of your passport and ID card. Once you give all the tests, you’ll get the report in 2–3 days. It will cost you 5500PKR.^[3]

• Police Clearance Certificate: To get this, you have to contact your local police station. They will check your background record in local police station and CTD ( Counter Terrorism Department ) as required by certain countries.

• Protectorate Office: Now you can go to the office of the Protectorate, fill out a form and they will give you some forms. After submitting the forms in the banks you will return to the Protectorate office & submit all the necessary documents they will ask for & then they will give you the time so at that time you will come back & collect your passport with the Protector's stamp. In Karachi the whole process will cost you 6500 PKR.

Complete List of Documents Required for Visa Protection

1. Original Passport
2. NICOP (Only receipt is enough)
3. Offer Letter/Contract
4. Copy of VISA
5. Original CNIC
6. Your Passport size photograph
7. Photocopy of your sibling, child or wife’s ID card (For insurance)
8. Medical report (stamped by GAMCA) (If required by the country not applicable everywhere)
9. Police clearance certificate in case of Malaysia,Kuwait.

Office Addresses

Karachi Office^[4]

Address: Protector of Emigrants, Bureau of Emigration & Overseas Employment

14-J, Block No.6, Near KFC, Nursery, PECHS, Karachi.

Tel: 092-021-34398711, 34532596, 34538090

Fax: 092-021-34531940

Timings: 9:00 AM – 11:30 AM for document verification and issuance of bank deposit slip

Lahore office^[5]

Bureau of Emigration & Overseas Employment

Address: 117-G Block, Model Town Lahore Tel: +92-42-99230338 Tel: +92-42-99230488 Fax: +92-42-99230492

Token Time 08:00AM to 11:00AM
Form Receiving Time 08:00 to 4:00PM

Rawalpindi office^[6]

Address: Protector of Emigrants, Bureau of Emigration & Overseas Employment

20-B1, Summer Plaza, Chandni Chowk, Rawalpindi. Pakistan

Tel: 092-051-9290440,

Fax: 092-051-9290442

Peshawar office^[7]

Address: Protector of Emigrants, Bureau of Emigration & Overseas Employment

Tel: +92-91-9212050

Fax: +92-91-9212051 –

Quetta office^[8]

Address: Protector of Emigrants, Bureau of Emigration & Overseas Employment

Qurry Road Quetta.

Tel: 091-081-9202436

Fax: 091-081-9202436

Multan office^[9]

Address: Near Chungi No. 6, Opp: District Education Officer Office, Multan

Tel: +92-61-9210200

Fax: +92-61-9210207^[10]

Malakand office^[11]

Address: Protector of Emigrants, Bureau of Emigration & Overseas Employment

Mian Road, Bahadar Khan Plaza, Bathkela, Malakand Agency.

List of Licensed Overseas Employment Promoters agencies

OEP has issued licencees to over 3000 recruitment agencies in Pakistan.

Some of the leading agencies are as follows: 1) Pakistan Progressive Associates - Recruitment and management consultants since 1975

References