The federal government has introduced strict new rules for civil servants regarding foreign nationality and residency status. Under the newly notified Civil Servants (Disclosure and Regulation of Foreign Nationality) Rules, 2026, all federal employees must now declare whether they or their dependents hold foreign nationality, foreign passports, permanent residency, or any travel document that may lead to citizenship of another country.
The Establishment Division issued the notification through an S.R.O. The rules make it compulsory for civil servants to submit these declarations at the time of appointment, every year afterward, and within 90 days of the new rules taking effect.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved the regulations under Section 25 of the Civil Servants Act, 1973. The framework applies to all federal civil servants across Pakistan.
According to the new policy, every person applying for a government job must clearly disclose whether they or their dependents possess foreign nationality or immigration-related documents. These include foreign passports, residence permits, permanent residence cards, or similar documents issued by another country.
Restrictions, Penalties, and Diplomatic Conditions
The government has also introduced strict penalties for hiding such information. If a person fails to disclose these details or submits false information during recruitment, the appointment will become “void ab initio.” As a result, authorities can terminate the employee’s service at any stage.
Meanwhile, civil servants who fail to submit annual declarations or the one-time declaration within 90 days may face disciplinary action. The government will treat such violations as misconduct under the Civil Servants (Efficiency and Discipline) Rules, 2020.
The new framework also restricts civil servants and their dependents from obtaining foreign nationality or immigration-related documents without prior approval. Government employees cannot apply for foreign citizenship, foreign passports, permanent residence cards, or similar status unless the competent authority grants permission first.
However, the rules provide an exemption for people who obtained a foreign nationality by birth or descent. Even so, they must still disclose their status to the government.
The policy introduces additional restrictions for officers posted abroad on diplomatic assignments. Authorities will not grant permission for acquiring nationality or immigration status in countries where an officer is serving or has previously served on an official diplomatic posting.
In addition, civil servants or their dependents who already hold foreign nationality or travel documents linked to such countries must revoke, cancel, withdraw, or formally renounce that status where required.
The government has also expanded reporting requirements regarding marriages with foreign nationals. Civil servants must now declare whether they or their dependents are married to foreign nationals. They must also provide details about official permission obtained under the Government Servants (Marriage with Foreign Nationals) Rules, 1962.
The annual declaration forms require officers to share information about foreign spouses, including nationality, marriage date, and official approval references.
To ensure compliance, the Establishment Division has issued separate declaration forms for newly appointed officers, yearly reporting, and a one-time disclosure process for all serving civil servants.
The notification further states that all previous rules and administrative instructions conflicting with the new framework now stand repealed. As a result, the 2026 rules will serve as the main legal framework governing foreign nationality disclosures among federal civil servants.
