Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates share strong diplomatic, economic, and cultural relations, with the UAE being a major trading partner and remittance source. On Thursday, Additional Interior Secretary Salman Chaudhry stated that the UAE had not been issuing visas to Pakistanis recently. He clarified that Saudi Arabia and the UAE had “stopped short of imposing a ban on the Pakistani passport,” warning that removal of any formal ban would be difficult.
Currently, UAE visas are being issued mainly to holders of blue and diplomatic passports. Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri confirmed the interior ministry’s statement, noting that the restrictions were due to concerns about criminal activities involving some travelers.
Meanwhile, a senior UAE diplomat dismissed claims of a blanket visa ban, stating, “there’s no ban on visas for Pakistani citizens.”
UAE Ambassador Salem M. Salem Al Bawab Al Zaabi shared reforms to facilitate visa processing, including online applications, e-visas without passport stamping, and system-to-system linkages. Nearly 500 visas are now being processed daily at the new UAE Visa Centre in Pakistan. Both nations reaffirmed commitments to strengthen trade, investment, and cultural ties while continuing defence and strategic cooperation.
