UAE Pakistan Visa: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has stopped issuing most visas for Pakistani citizens, citing concerns over crimes by some travelers from Pakistan. This decision, shared at a Senate Human Rights Committee meeting, comes as officials warned that a complete ban would be hard to reverse.
Several incidents involving Pakistani nationals, including street crimes, drug offenses, murders, and overstaying, have raised security concerns. Earlier this year, two men from Telangana were killed in Dubai in an attack allegedly carried out by a Pakistani national.
Which Visas Are Affected
The restrictions now cover almost all major categories, including tourist, visit, and employment visas. While current visas remain valid, embassies and authorized centers have stopped processing new applications.
As a result, Pakistan’s passport ranking, already among the weakest globally, could drop further. UAE authorities have highlighted that some travelers exploit visit visas for illegal activities, with Pakistani nationals making up a large share of recent arrests.
High Volume of Applications and Regional Concerns
Every year, over 800,000 Pakistanis apply for visas to the Gulf and Middle East, mostly for work or as a transit route to Western countries. However, illegal activities by a small group have alarmed authorities. In Saudi Arabia, more than 4,000 Pakistani beggars were detained in Mecca and Madina, and several others were arrested for drug offenses.
In 2018, Dubai’s Head of General Security, Dhahi Khalfan, linked some Pakistani nationals to drug trafficking and urged employers not to hire them.
Police Verification and Current Status
Since last December, the UAE and other Gulf countries require police verification for Pakistani travelers. Currently, visas are only issued to holders of blue and diplomatic passports. Additional Interior Secretary Salman Chaudhry noted that removing a complete ban would be very difficult.
Diplomatic Talks and Visa Reforms
Although Pakistan has not released an official statement, officials are working through diplomatic channels to resolve the issue. Despite the freeze, UAE envoy Salem Al Zaabi introduced reforms to simplify visa processing, including:
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Online applications
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E-visas without stamping passports
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Faster digital verification
About 500 visas are processed daily at the new UAE Visa Centre in Islamabad.
Background and Main Reasons
Visa tensions have been ongoing for months. In July, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi discussed rising visa rejections with the UAE. Earlier, in April, the UAE ambassador announced potential five-year visas for Pakistani nationals.
In short, organized crimes, street offenses, and overstaying are the main reasons behind the UAE Pakistan Visa restrictions. Travelers are now under strict scrutiny, and authorities stress compliance to ensure access to the UAE.
