Call us @+234 806 558 2598
Why No Visa Ban on Pakistani Citizens: UAE Clears the Air
For days, rumours swirled across social media and even some news circles: Has the UAE quietly stopped issuing visas to Pakistani citizens? The whispers grew loud enough to spark worry among families, job seekers, and business owners across both nations. But now, the UAE has stepped forward with a firm message, there is no visa ban on Pakistanis.
In a statement reported by Pakistan’s Dawn, a senior official at the UAE Embassy in Islamabad, who preferred not to be named, made it clear: “There’s no ban on visas for Pakistani citizens.”
A simple, direct clarification, but one that instantly cut through the noise.
So where did the confusion come from?
The storm began when Salman Chaudhry, additional interior secretary in Pakistan, reportedly told a Senate committee that the UAE was only issuing visas to holders of diplomatic and blue passports. The comment triggered anxiety across the Pakistani diaspora and those hoping to travel for work, tourism, or business. But UAE officials insist otherwise and major outlets like Khaleej Times have already reached out to authorities for further confirmation.
With nearly 1.7 million Pakistanis living in the UAE, the community forms the second-largest expatriate group in the Emirates. Their presence is felt everywhere: construction, finance, hospitality, entrepreneurship, retail, transport, name the sector, and Pakistani workers and businesses are contributing to it. More than 230,000 Pakistanis migrated to the UAE during the 2023–24 financial year alone, according to Pakistan’s Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment. That’s a massive inflow of talent and investment, a trend that reflects decades of diplomatic and economic ties.
Interestingly, both governments have actually been strengthening visa cooperation this year.
In July 2025, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar publicly confirmed that the visa waiver for diplomatic and official passport holders had officially kicked off across all UAE airports: “I am pleased to confirm that… the visa waiver for diplomatic and official Pakistani passports… has been activated, effective July 25, 2025.” So instead of tightening entry access, the UAE appears to be expanding avenues for official-level travel.
Major UAE Visa Facilitation Reforms for Pakistanis
Adding to this, the UAE’s newly-appointed Ambassador to Pakistan, Salem Mohammed Al Zaabi, met with Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb to discuss visa facilitation and investment opportunities. And the updates were surprisingly positive. According to Pakistan’s Ministry of Finance, the ambassador outlined several reforms targeted at easing the visa process:
Key Reforms Announced
- Online visa applications for Pakistanis
- E-visa issuance without physical passport stamping
- Faster, automated system-to-system linkages for quicker processing
- A brand-new UAE Visa Centre in Pakistan, already processing around 500 visas daily
If anything, these upgrades show that the UAE is modernising, not restricting, the visa pipeline. Pakistan, on its part, acknowledged the UAE’s long-standing support in:
- Trade and investment
- Remittances
- Government-to-government financing
- International financial engagements
Both sides agreed to expand cooperation in technology, defence, finance, trade, investment, and deeper people-to-people exchanges.
While UAE officials cleared the air on visas, Pakistan’s own Ministry of Interior recently introduced a controversial decision, one that affects citizens returning from abroad for the wrong reasons. In a meeting chaired by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in May 2025, the ministry announced that:
- Passports of Pakistanis deported from the UAE, Europe, GCC, and other countries will be cancelled immediately upon arrival.
- A First Information Report (FIR) will be lodged against each deported individual.
- Deportees’ names will be placed on the passport control list for five years, blocking their ability to travel abroad.
The policy aims to curb illegal migration and misuse of travel channels, but it has generated significant public debate, especially among families who fear that genuine cases might be caught in the net.
Despite the rumours, the UAE has NOT imposed any visa ban on Pakistani citizens.
In fact, the latest diplomatic conversations suggest easier access, faster processing, and stronger cooperation. The confusion may have been sparked by mixed signals during Senate discussions in Pakistan, but the UAE’s clarification, combined with ongoing reforms, paints a far more positive picture.
With long-standing ties, a large diaspora, and growing investment flows, the UAE–Pakistan relationship remains robust. And as both sides continue to fine-tune policies, one thing is clear: mobility, trade, and people-to-people exchange are still very much open and active.
