The United Arab Emirates has stopped giving visas to Pakistani nationals, a move that has practically blocked their entry into the country.

This update was confirmed by a senior official from Pakistan’s Interior Ministry during a briefing to a Senate committee on 27 November. The announcement created immediate concern, as the UAE has long been a major destination for Pakistani workers and visitors.

While speaking to the Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights, Additional Interior Secretary Salman Chaudhry explained that both Saudi Arabia and the UAE had “stopped short of imposing a ban on the Pakistani passport”. He said the decision taken by the two nations would not be easy to roll back. Chaudhry also clarified that the UAE is now issuing visas only to individuals who hold blue passports — which are usually for government employees — as well as those with diplomatic passports. Ordinary Pakistanis who travel with the standard green passport cannot receive UAE visas under the new restrictions.

Committee chairperson Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri confirmed the development. She said that this tightening of visa rules is directly connected to concerns about Pakistani nationals being involved in criminal activities in the UAE. She added that very few visas have been issued in the last few months, and those approvals came only after noticeable delays and difficulties.

Interestingly, the same day this restriction was publicly acknowledged, the UAE Ambassador to Pakistan met with Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb. According to the briefing, the ambassador talked about new steps meant to make the visa process smoother for Pakistanis. These changes included online visa applications, e-visas with no need for passport stamping, faster digital processing, and the launch of a new UAE Visa Centre, which is reportedly handling around 500 applications per day. This created mixed signals, since the official statements from Pakistan and the day-to-day visa challenges do not appear to match.

This year, Pakistani travellers have repeatedly faced visa complications in the UAE. Back in July, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi had raised concerns with UAE authorities after a wave of visa rejections. During a meeting on 11 July, UAE’s Lt Gen Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan assured him of “full support”, but the difficulties still continued. Even earlier in April, the UAE Ambassador to Pakistan had claimed that the visa situation had been “resolved”, and that Pakistanis would soon be eligible for a five-year visa. Now, however, Pakistan’s own officials state that this claim does not reflect the reality on the ground.

The growing concerns are not new. For months, there have been repeated discussions about the misuse of visit visas by certain Pakistani nationals. In January, Pakistan’s Senate Committee on Overseas Pakistanis was also informed that some UAE visas had been “unofficially closed”, showing that the problem has been developing for a while.

Which other nations have stopped visas for Pakistan?

As of 27 April 2025, India has officially revoked all existing valid visas that had been issued to Pakistani nationals. The country also suspended all future visa services. This means that every previously issued visa stands cancelled, and no new applications — whether for tourism, business, or medical visits — are being processed.

Figures show that each year, more than 800,000 Pakistanis apply for visas to Gulf and Middle Eastern countries. Many of them are seeking job opportunities, financial stability, or a chance to support their families back home. With restrictions tightening across multiple countries, many Pakistanis are now uncertain about their future plans.

Visa rejections began earlier than reported

Reports reveal that Pakistani citizens started experiencing widespread visa rejections as early as July. This situation prompted Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to take up the matter with his counterpart in the UAE. Although he received assurances of “full support” during their meeting, the restrictions remained unchanged.

Before this, in April, the UAE ambassador had confidently stated that the visa issue had been “resolved” and that Pakistanis would soon be eligible for a five-year visa. This claim now appears to have been overly optimistic, as the current position of Pakistani officials contradicts it.

Concerns about the misuse of visit visas by certain individuals have surfaced several times. Back in January, the Senate Committee was already informed that some UAE visas were “unofficially closed”, hinting at a trend that has now become visible in stricter and more formal restrictions.