The United Arab Emirates has effectively frozen regular visas for most Pakistani citizens, with Islamabad acknowledging that a complete ban on Pakistani passports was seriously considered.
UAE Halts Visas for Ordinary Pakistani Passport Holders:
Salman Chaudhry, the additional interior secretary, informed Pakistan’s Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights that nearly all holders of regular (green) passports are no longer eligible for visas from the UAE. He disclosed that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates had “stopped short” of completely banning Pakistani passports, cautioning that once such a ban is put in place, it will be very difficult to reverse it.
Currently, visas are being issued only to diplomatic and blue (official) passport holders, while regular travellers face an informal freeze. Committee chairperson Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri confirmed that very few visas have been granted in recent months, and those only “after much difficulty.”
Criminal Activity Concerns Behind Restrictions:
Pakistani officials said Emirati authorities raised repeated concerns about Pakistani visitors getting involved in criminal activities, including begging, petty crime and misuse of visit visas for illegal work. These red flags reportedly pushed the UAE to sharply tighten approvals and informally suspend regular visa issuance for Pakistani nationals.
The issue has been building over months, with a surge in visa rejections reported since early July, prompting Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to take up the matter with UAE leaders. Despite earlier assurances in April from the UAE ambassador that visa issues were “resolved” and Pakistanis could get five-year visas, the current freeze shows those promises did not translate into policy on the ground.
Pakistan-UAE Ties Tested by Visa Freeze:
Recent diplomatic exchanges underscored strong bilateral commitments just before the visa halt. UAE Ambassador Salem Mohammed Al Zaabi presented credentials to Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari on November 21, conveying greetings from UAE leadership and pledging enhanced cooperation across sectors. Zardari reciprocated, welcoming Al Zaabi and affirming Pakistan’s support for deepening ties.
Bilateral political consultations occurred in Abu Dhabi on June 25, reviewing relations and regional issues. UAE awarded Pakistan’s outgoing ambassador First-Class Order of Zayed in October, praising his role in strengthening bonds. These gestures highlight enduring economic and people-to-people links despite the current visa tensions
Economic Fallout Hits Pakistani Workers and Remittances:
The visa freeze disrupts thousands of Pakistanis relying on UAE jobs, family visits, and business trips, with over 800,000 annual applications to Gulf nations now stalled. Travel agents report refunds and cancelled departures as jobseekers using visit visas to convert to work permits face blocks, threatening remittances vital for Pakistan’s foreign reserves at $34 billion in 2024.
Pakistan’s passport, already fourth-worst globally, takes another hit from heightened scrutiny over begging rings, murders, kidnappings, and overstays, mirroring Saudi Arabia’s arrests of 4,000 Pakistani beggars. Islamabad pushes police verification reforms requested by Gulf states to avert similar curbs elsewhere.
Deep Ties Strained but Not Broken:
The restrictions come despite long-standing economic and labour ties, with the UAE hosting a large Pakistani expatriate workforce and serving as a key source of remittances. Officials stressed that existing visas and many work permits remain valid, but uncertainty is highest for new visit and tourist visa applicants using ordinary passports.
Pakistan’s already weak passport ranking is expected to suffer further as Gulf states toughen scrutiny. Islamabad now faces the twin challenge of reassuring its citizens while addressing Emirati fears over crime and visa abuse to avoid the “full passport ban” scenario it admits was on the table.
