Last updated: 11 November 2026 by Ahmed. Figures checked on the State Bank of Pakistan, FBR and bank websites on 11 November 2026.
This overseas Pakistanis financial guide puts everything a worker or family abroad needs in one place: how to send money home cheaply and legally, how to bank in Pakistan with a Roshan Digital Account, where to save (Naya Pakistan Certificates, bank deposits, National Savings), how to invest in shares and funds, what tax applies, and how car and home finance from abroad works. Each section is short and links to a detailed guide or free calculator.
Overseas Pakistanis sent $3.9 billion home in October 2026 and $14.8 billion in July to October FY27, 14% more than a year earlier, according to State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) data reported on 11 November 2026. Saudi Arabia ($3.67 billion) and the UAE ($3.05 billion) were the two largest sources.
Free tools: compare a bank, an exchange company and an app with our remittance calculator, and work out profit on savings with the bank profit calculator or the National Savings calculator.
Overseas Pakistanis Financial Guide at a Glance
| Your goal | Main option | Key rule (checked 11 Nov 2026) | Detailed guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Send money home | Bank, licensed exchange company or licensed app | Eligible home remittances must be processed free of charge (SBP, from 1 July 2026) | Saudi, UAE, best way |
| Bank in Pakistan from abroad | Roshan Digital Account | Opened online; funds can be sent back abroad without prior approval | Roshan Digital Account guide |
| Earn a fixed return | Naya Pakistan Certificates | 10% final tax on profit; USD, GBP, EUR, SAR, AED and PKR versions | RDA guide (NPC section) |
| Family savings in rupees | Bank savings, term deposits, National Savings | Filer status changes the tax rate on profit | Bank profit rates, National Savings |
| Grow wealth | PSX shares, mutual funds | Through Roshan Equity Investment or a broker | Buy shares online |
| Car or home | Roshan Apni Car, Roshan Apna Ghar | Financing paid from your RDA | Meezan Car Ijarah via RDA |
Step 1: Send Money Home the Legal, Cheaper Way
For most overseas Pakistanis, the biggest money decision is the one made every month: how to send salary home. Three kinds of official provider do this: banks, licensed exchange companies (exchange houses) and licensed money transfer apps. All three can pay into a Pakistani bank account, and many also pay into mobile wallets or as cash pickup.
Two facts matter most:
- Transfer fees on eligible remittances should be zero. The SBP ended its Telegraphic Transfer Charges Incentive Scheme reimbursement from 1 July 2026, but its circular tells banks and exchange companies to keep processing eligible home remittances free of charge for both sender and receiver. Under the scheme’s last criteria (EPD Circular Letter No. 4 of 2025) the minimum eligible transaction was US$200. Providers abroad set their own fees on smaller amounts: on 11 November 2026, Al Ansari Exchange in the UAE listed no charges above AED 740 to Pakistan, and STC Bank in Saudi Arabia listed Western Union transfers to Pakistan as free from SAR 375.
- The exchange rate is where most of the cost hides. A provider that gives Rs 0.30 less per riyal costs you more than a small fee. See the worked example below.
Worked example: SAR 2,000 every month
On 10 November 2026 the SBP reference rate was Rs 73.70 per Saudi riyal. The two quotes below are illustrative, not real provider rates.
| Quote | Rate (Rs per SAR) | Family receives each month | In a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Provider A | 73.70 | Rs 1,47,400 | Rs 17,68,800 |
| Provider B | 73.40 | Rs 1,46,800 | Rs 17,61,600 |
| Difference | 0.30 | Rs 600 | Rs 7,200 |
A 30-paisa gap costs this family Rs 7,200 a year. Put your own quotes into the remittance calculator before you send.
Avoid Hundi and Hawala. They are informal, offer no protection if the money disappears, leave no record you can show a bank or the FBR later, and SBP’s Pakistan Remittance Initiative (PRI) asks overseas Pakistanis to use official channels only.
Step 2: Bank in Pakistan with a Roshan Digital Account
A Roshan Digital Account (RDA) is an SBP scheme that lets non-resident Pakistanis open a Pakistani bank account online, in rupees or foreign currency, without visiting a branch. It can be funded only with money sent from abroad, and balances and returns can be sent back abroad without prior approval. By end-September 2026, overseas Pakistanis had opened 975,602 RDAs and sent in $14.16 billion (APP, citing SBP).
The RDA is the gateway to most of the options below: Naya Pakistan Certificates, Roshan Equity Investment (shares and funds), Roshan Apni Car and Roshan Apna Ghar. Our complete RDA guide covers the 14 banks, documents and steps.
Step 3: Save — Naya Pakistan Certificates and Bank Deposits
Naya Pakistan Certificates (NPCs) are government certificates sold through RDAs. The rates below were listed on Bank AL Habib’s NPC page as effective from 1 June 2026 and were still shown when checked on 11 November 2026. Islamic NPCs work on expected, not fixed, profit.
| Tenor | PKR | USD | GBP | EUR | SAR | AED |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 months | 11.75% | 6.75% | 6.75% | 4.75% | 6.50% | 6.50% |
| 12 months | 12.25% | 7.25% | 7.50% | 5.50% | 7.00% | 7.00% |
| 3 years | 12.50% | 7.50% | 7.75% | 6.00% | 7.25% | 7.25% |
| 5 years | 12.75% | 7.75% | 8.00% | 6.25% | 7.50% | 7.50% |
Example: US$5,000 in a 12-month USD NPC at 7.25% earns US$362.50. After the 10% final tax, you keep US$326.25, about Rs 90,257 at the SBP reference rate of Rs 276.65 (10 November 2026). Rs 10,00,000 in a 12-month PKR NPC at 12.25% earns Rs 1,22,500, or Rs 1,10,250 after tax.
For money your family keeps in rupees, compare bank profit rates, fixed deposit rates and National Savings certificates. Note that bank and National Savings rates move with the SBP policy rate.
Step 4: Invest in Shares, Funds and Property
- Shares (PSX): RDA holders can invest through Roshan Equity Investment with a broker linked to their bank. See how to buy shares in Pakistan online and investing in PSX.
- Mutual funds: SECP-licensed asset managers offer conventional and Islamic funds that RDA holders can buy online. Start with how to invest in mutual funds in Pakistan.
- Property: RDA funds can be used to buy property in Pakistan; plan for tax, documents and the risk of fraud before you commit.
- Government bonds and T-bills: see government bonds and T-bills in Pakistan.
No investment is right for everyone. Compare risk, how quickly you may need the money and the currency you will spend it in. Our best investment in Pakistan guide compares 12 options.
Tax for Overseas Pakistanis: The Basics
- Resident or non-resident: under section 82 of the Income Tax Ordinance, you are a Pakistani tax resident if you spend 183 days or more in Pakistan in a tax year. Since the Finance Act 2022, a Pakistani citizen is also resident if they are not present in any other country for more than 182 days in the year, or are not a tax resident of any other country, which matters for Gulf workers in countries without income tax. Government employees posted abroad are residents. (The old 120-day test was removed by the Finance Act 2021.) A non-resident is taxed in Pakistan only on Pakistan-source income.
- Remittances: Pakistan does not tax the money you send home as such. Under section 111(4), foreign exchange sent through normal banking channels and encashed by a Pakistani bank, with an encashment certificate, is protected from being treated as unexplained income, subject to the conditions FBR explains in its circular on foreign remittances. Keep your proceeds-realisation or encashment certificates.
- Naya Pakistan Certificates: 10% final tax on profit (FBR clarification).
- Filer status: being on the Active Taxpayers List lowers withholding tax on bank profit, property and car purchases. See filer vs non-filer and how to become a filer.
Tax rules also apply in the country where you live. Speak to a tax adviser about your own case.
Car and Home Finance from Abroad
Through the RDA, the SBP runs Roshan Apni Car (car financing for overseas Pakistanis or their family in Pakistan) and Roshan Apna Ghar (home finance), both paid from your RDA. For a worked Islamic example, read Meezan Car Ijarah via Roshan Digital Account, and estimate instalments with the car loan calculator.
What Changed in 2026 for Overseas Pakistanis
| Change | Date | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| SBP ended TT charges reimbursement to banks | 1 July 2026 | Eligible home remittances must still be free for sender and receiver |
| Sohni Dharti Remittance Programme discontinued | 1 July 2026 | No new points; points earned up to 30 June 2026 can be redeemed until 30 June 2027 (1LINK) |
| Riyal and dirham Naya Pakistan Certificates launched | June 2026 | Gulf workers can invest in SAR or AED without converting to dollars |
| Remittances rising | Jul–Oct FY27 | $14.8 billion in four months, up 14% |
Common Mistakes Overseas Pakistanis Make
- Choosing a provider for “zero fee” without comparing the final rupee amount.
- Using Hundi or Hawala to save a few rupees and losing proof of where the money came from.
- Sending money for investment into a relative’s account instead of your own RDA, which makes repatriation and tax records harder.
- Assuming you are a non-resident without counting days spent in Pakistan.
- Locking all savings in one long-term product when you may return home and need cash.
- Trusting “guaranteed return” schemes on social media. Check SECP and SBP lists before investing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should overseas Pakistanis do first with their money?
Start by sending money through an official channel and comparing the final rupee amount. Then open a Roshan Digital Account if you want to save or invest in Pakistan in your own name, and keep an emergency fund in the country where you live.
Is there tax on money sent to Pakistan from abroad?
Pakistan does not tax a remittance itself. Money sent through normal banking channels and encashed by a Pakistani bank is protected from being treated as unexplained income under section 111(4), subject to FBR conditions. Profit you later earn on it in Pakistan is taxed.
Are remittances to Pakistan free?
The SBP told banks and exchange companies to keep processing eligible home remittances free of charge after 1 July 2026. Small transfers may still carry a fee set by the provider abroad, and the exchange rate margin is a hidden cost.
Can overseas Pakistanis invest in Naya Pakistan Certificates?
Yes, through a Roshan Digital Account, in USD, GBP, EUR, SAR, AED or PKR. Profit is taxed at a 10% final rate, and Islamic versions are available.
Overseas Pakistani ke liye paise bachane ka sab se asaan tarika kya hai?
Pehle har mahine official channel se paise bhejein aur rate compare karein. Phir Roshan Digital Account khol kar Naya Pakistan Certificate ya bank savings jaise options dekhein. Koi bhi option chunne se pehle risk aur apni zaroorat samjhein.
Kya Sohni Dharti points ab bhi milte hain?
Nahin. Sohni Dharti Remittance Programme 1 July 2026 se band ho gaya hai. 30 June 2026 tak jo points bane, woh 30 June 2027 tak SDRP app se redeem ho sakte hain.
Send Money by Country
Fees, exchange houses, apps and worked examples for the countries where most overseas Pakistanis live:
- How to send money from Saudi Arabia to Pakistan
- How to send money from UAE to Pakistan
- How to send money from UK to Pakistan
- How to send money from USA to Pakistan
- How to send money from Qatar to Pakistan
- How to send money from Oman to Pakistan
- How to send money from Kuwait to Pakistan
Related Guides
- Remittance calculator: compare SAR, AED, GBP and USD to PKR
- How to send money from Saudi Arabia to Pakistan
- How to send money from UAE to Pakistan
- Best way to send money to Pakistan: bank vs exchange company vs app
- Roshan Digital Account: complete guide 2026
- Meezan Car Ijarah for overseas Pakistanis
- Tax on investments in Pakistan 2026-27
- Best investment in Pakistan 2026
Sources
- Dawn: Remittances increase 14pc to $14.8bn in four months (11 Nov 2026, SBP data)
- SBP: EPD Circular Letter No. 12 of 2026, discontinuation of TTCIS (2 Jul 2026)
- SBP: EPD Circular Letter No. 4 of 2025, TT charges scheme criteria
- 1LINK: Sohni Dharti Remittance Program notice
- Al Ansari Exchange: send money to Pakistan from the UAE (checked 11 Nov 2026)
- STC Bank: product and service fees (checked 11 Nov 2026)
- SBP: mark-to-market exchange rates (10 Nov 2026)
- APP: RDA inflows rise to $14.157 billion in September 2026
- Bank AL Habib: Naya Pakistan Certificate rates (effective 1 Jun 2026)
- Dawn: SBP launches riyal and dirham Naya Pakistan Certificates (2 Jun 2026)
- FBR: Income Tax Ordinance 2001, amended up to 30 June 2026 (section 82)
- FBR: circular on foreign remittances under section 111(4)
- FBR: clarification on 10% final tax on Naya Pakistan Certificates
- SBP: Roshan Equity Investment
- SBP: Roshan Apni Car
- SBP: Roshan Apna Ghar
This overseas Pakistanis financial guide is for general information only. The Invest Pakistan is not a licensed investment or tax adviser, and nothing here is a recommendation or a promise of returns. Rates, fees and rules change; confirm them with your bank, provider, the SBP or the FBR before you act.