Additional Interior Secretary Salman Chaudhry told the Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights that the UAE was not issuing visas to Pakistanis on a regular basis. He clarified that Saudi Arabia and the UAE had not officially banned Pakistani passports, but warned that if a ban were imposed, removing it would be difficult. Currently, only blue and diplomatic passport holders are being issued visas.
Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri confirmed the official’s remarks, saying the restrictions were linked to concerns that some visitors might get involved in criminal activities. She added that very few visas had been granted recently and those only after significant difficulty.
A senior diplomat at the UAE embassy, however, stated that there was no official ban on Pakistani citizens. Meanwhile, UAE Ambassador to Pakistan Salem M. Salem Al Bawab Al Zaabi shared details of “major UAE visa facilitation reforms” with Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb.
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The reforms include online visa processing, e-visas without passport stamping, and faster system-to-system linkages. Nearly 500 visas are being processed daily at the newly launched UAE Visa Centre in Pakistan. The ambassador also highlighted efforts to strengthen trade, investment, cultural ties, and people-to-people connections.
Past issues with UAE visas were reported in early July, prompting Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to raise the matter with his UAE counterpart. Assurances were given to expedite visas, and earlier this year, Pakistanis were allowed to apply for five-year visas after previous restrictions. Officials clarified that there are no restrictions on work visas for Pakistanis.
The situation shows a mix of confusion and reform. While some visas were delayed due to concerns about visitors misusing short-term visas, the UAE is now improving visa processes. Online applications, e-visas, and faster approvals are aimed at supporting Pakistanis living and working in the UAE, while maintaining security.
