UAE Freezes Visas for Pakistanis; Islamabad Confirms Full Passport Ban Was ‘On the Table’
The UAE has halted visa issuance for most Pakistani citizens and had even considered a complete ban on Pakistani passports, a senior Interior Ministry official revealed before a Senate panel on Thursday. The claim, reported by Dawn, has intensified concerns over tightening UAE visa restrictions for Pakistanis.
Only Blue and Diplomatic Passport Holders Getting UAE Visas
Additional Interior Secretary Salman Chaudhry, while briefing the Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights, confirmed that both Saudi Arabia and the UAE had “stopped short of imposing a ban on the Pakistani passport.” Such an extensive restriction, he warned, would be extremely difficult to reverse once implemented.
Currently, the UAE is issuing visas only to blue passport and diplomatic passport holders.
Blue passports are reserved for government officials.
Green passports, used by ordinary Pakistani citizens, are effectively not receiving visas under the latest restrictions.
Committee chairperson Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri backed the ministry’s assessment, stating that the UAE’s concerns were rooted in increasing cases of Pakistani travellers allegedly “getting involved in criminal activities.” She added that over the past few months, only a very small number of visas had been approved — and that too “after much difficulty.”
UAE Introduces Visa ‘Facilitation Reforms’
Interestingly, the revelation came the same day UAE Ambassador to Pakistan Salem M. Salem Al Bawab Al Zaabi briefed Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb on newly launched visa facilitation reforms for Pakistanis.
According to the Finance Ministry, the ambassador highlighted several measures, including:
Online visa applications
E-visa issuance without passport stamping
Faster verification through digital linkages
Enhanced processing at the newly launched UAE Visa Centre, handling around 500 applications per day
Despite the ongoing restrictions, the UAE stressed its commitment to improving visa processes and strengthening bilateral cooperation.
Deep Ties Amid Rising Visa Concerns
Pakistan and the UAE enjoy long-standing diplomatic and economic ties. The UAE hosts a large Pakistani workforce and remains a major source of remittances.
However, concerns over visa misuse have escalated over the past year:
In July, increased visa rejections prompted Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to raise the issue with UAE authorities.
Earlier in April, UAE officials announced that Pakistanis would be eligible for a five-year visa, suggesting an easing of restrictions.
Yet, earlier Senate briefings in January warned that some UAE visas had been “unofficially closed” due to rising instances of Pakistanis travelling on visit visas allegedly engaging in begging instead of legitimate employment.
While work visas remain largely unaffected, uncertainty continues to cloud the issuance of visit visas for ordinary green passport holders.
