Islamabad, November 27, 2025: A senior official from Pakistan’s interior ministry has informed lawmakers that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is currently not issuing visas to Pakistani citizens, confirming weeks of speculation over tightened Gulf entry policies.
Briefing the Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights, Additional Interior Secretary Salman Chaudhry said that while neither the UAE nor Saudi Arabia has announced an official ban, both countries have significantly toughened their visa procedures for Pakistani passport holders.
“For now, the UAE is only processing applications from diplomatic and blue passport holders,” Chaudhry said, adding that ordinary applicants are receiving “minimal to no approvals.” He warned that if a formal ban were to be imposed, “it would be extremely difficult to reverse.”
Committee Chair Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri endorsed the interior ministry’s assessment, saying the UAE’s restrictive approach appeared linked to concerns over criminal activities involving a small number of Pakistani visitors. The panel was told that only a handful of visas have been approved recently — and those after long delays.
Earlier the same day, a separate meeting in Islamabad between UAE Ambassador Salem M. Salem Al Bawab Al Zaabi and Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb presented a contrasting narrative.
According to the finance ministry, the ambassador highlighted steps aimed at making the visa process easier for Pakistanis, including online applications, e-visas that remove the need for physical passport stamping, and faster digital verification systems between the two countries. The statement added that the newly opened UAE Visa Centre in Pakistan is handling roughly 500 applications a day.
Ambassador Al Zaabi praised the contributions of the Pakistani community in the UAE and expressed his government’s desire to expand cooperation in trade, investment, culture, defence and technology. Both sides reaffirmed the importance of their long-standing bilateral ties.
Visa difficulties for Pakistanis have surfaced repeatedly this year. In July, a rise in rejection rates prompted Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to seek relief from UAE authorities, who assured him of support. Earlier in April, the UAE ambassador announced the restoration of five-year visas for Pakistanis after months of uncertainty.
The issue first drew attention when a Senate committee was informed that certain visa categories had been informally suspended due to concerns that some Pakistani visitors were misusing visit visas for begging or unauthorized work.
