State Bank of Pakistan Form FE-25 outward remittance for medical treatment, a 2026 walkthrough
By Reserve Meds · Clinical and regulatory team · Last reviewed 2026-05-17
What FE-25 is
Form FE-25 is the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) prescribed application for outward remittance of foreign exchange for personal use, including medical treatment abroad and import of medicines for personal use. It is filed through an authorised dealer (a Pakistani commercial bank with an FX dealing licence) rather than directly with SBP.
FE-25 is one route within SBP's Foreign Exchange Manual; medical-purpose remittance is covered in the Manual chapters governing private remittances and is subject to the prevailing FX policy circulars. The current circular series treats medical treatment abroad and personal-use medicine imports as eligible purposes within published ceilings.
Who can file
Any resident Pakistani individual holding a Pakistani CNIC and a bank account with an authorised dealer. The applicant typically remits on behalf of themselves or an immediate family dependant. For dependants, supporting documents (B-Form / CNIC of dependant, relationship affidavit) accompany the FE-25.
Documentation pack
1. Completed Form FE-25 (bank provides the current version; many authorised dealers also accept online submission via their internet banking).
2. CNIC copy of the remitter (and dependant where applicable).
3. Treating physician's letter on hospital letterhead, PMC-registered, stating diagnosis, treatment recommendation, and rationale for outward remittance.
4. Hospital or supplier invoice or quote (for Reserve Meds drug coordination, this is the Reserve Meds firm quote on Reserve Meds letterhead, plus the Pakistani receiving hospital's coordination letter where the drug is to be administered).
5. Beneficiary banking details (SWIFT/BIC, account, name, address).
6. Source-of-funds declaration where requested.
7. For amounts exceeding the standard ceiling, supplementary documentation supporting the medical justification.
Ceilings and supplementary approvals
SBP publishes per-individual annual ceilings for personal-purpose outward remittance, which are revised periodically. Medical-purpose remittance has historically attracted higher ceilings than general purposes. For amounts above the published ceiling, authorised dealers escalate to SBP for case-by-case approval; the medical-purpose pathway is structured to allow this approval where documentation supports it.
Patients with high-value specialty drug coordination (innovator biologics, gene therapy, oncology infusions) routinely use the supplementary-approval pathway. Reserve Meds quote letters are written to support this pathway: clear drug name, FDA-approval status, indication, dosing plan, and the role of the named Pakistani prescribing physician and receiving hospital pharmacy.
Authorised dealers
Major Pakistani commercial banks with active FX dealing capability include Habib Bank Limited (HBL), United Bank Limited (UBL), MCB Bank, Bank Alfalah, Standard Chartered Pakistan, Meezan Bank (Islamic), Allied Bank Limited (ABL), and Bank Al Habib. Each maintains an FX desk with experience in medical-purpose remittance. Patients typically use their existing primary banking relationship.
Timing
Standard FE-25 medical remittance, where the amount is within the published per-individual ceiling and documentation is complete, typically clears in 1-3 working days from submission. Supplementary-approval cases (above-ceiling) commonly take 2-3 weeks for SBP turnaround.
Reserve Meds recommends initiating the FE-25 process in parallel with the DRAP OIES Special Permission file; the two timelines can run concurrently rather than sequentially.
Frequently asked
Does Reserve Meds receive funds in PKR or USD? Reserve Meds banks in USD with US-based financial institutions; the outward remittance through FE-25 converts PKR to USD at the authorised dealer's prevailing rate.
Can the remittance be split across multiple FE-25 filings? Yes, where the total drug cost exceeds a single annual ceiling, multi-installment FE-25 filings are common (often aligned with refill cadence). The authorised dealer maintains the running total against the patient's annual ceiling.
What if the bank's FX desk is unfamiliar with named-patient drug import? Reserve Meds supplies a banking-letter template explaining the named-patient framework, DRAP authorisation status, and Reserve Meds's role. Most authorised dealers are comfortable with the structure once it is documented.
Is there sales tax or withholding on the outward remittance? Outward FX remittance for documented medical purposes is generally exempt from withholding tax; the authorised dealer applies the current FBR and SBP guidance.
Reserve Meds is a US-based concierge coordinator for cross-border specialty medicine. We are in pre-launch; service availability is limited to our first cohort and published timelines are indicative, not guarantees. Cash-pay. Export-only (US to overseas). Composite case examples. Not medical advice.
Clinical and regulatory review: Reserve Meds clinical team and AI regulatory-counsel review pipeline. Last medically reviewed: 2026-05-17.