Archive · 28 Nov 2025
UAE Halts Visas For Pakistanis Amid Crime Concerns
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has stopped giving visas to most people from Pakistan.
This is because some Pakistani visitors have been involved in crimes like begging, smuggling, and trafficking.
The UAE is now only giving visas to people with special passports, like blue and diplomatic ones.
This is a big deal because many Pakistanis go to the UAE and other Gulf countries to work or visit.
Before this, the UAE and Saudi Arabia had already stopped giving visas to people from certain cities in Pakistan.
The UAE is an important trading partner for Pakistan, and many Pakistani people live and work there.
The UAE has also introduced new ways to make it easier to get visas, like online applications and e-visas.
But even with these changes, it's still hard for ordinary Pakistanis to get visas.
The UAE has halted visa issuance to most Pakistani citizens due to concerns over criminal activities and begging.
Only holders of blue and diplomatic passports are currently being issued visas by the UAE.
The UAE nearly imposed a complete ban on Pakistani passports, which would have been difficult to reverse.
The UAE Ambassador to Pakistan outlined new visa facilitation measures, including online applications and e-visas.
Pakistan and the UAE share deep diplomatic and economic ties, with the UAE hosting a large Pakistani workforce.
- Who
- Pakistani citizens
- What
- UAE has halted visa issuance to Pakistani citizens
- When
- The ban is currently in effect, with a previous ban in December 2024
- Where
- United Arab Emirates
- Why
- Concerns over involvement in criminal activities and begging
Pakistan
UAE
Visa Restrictions
Pakistan
Pakistan expresses concerns over the difficulty in obtaining visas and the potential impact on its citizens working in the UAE.
UAE
The UAE imposes visa restrictions due to concerns over criminal activities and begging by Pakistani travelers.
Visa Facilitation Reforms
Pakistan
Pakistan seeks support and assurances from the UAE to speed up visa approvals and ease restrictions.
UAE
The UAE introduces visa facilitation measures such as online applications, e-visas, and faster digital linkages to streamline the process.
- Country
- United Arab Emirates
- Affected Citizens
- Pakistani nationals
- Reason for Ban
- Involvement in criminal activities and begging
- Current Visa Policy
- Only blue and diplomatic passport holders
- Pakistani Visa Applicants Annually
- 800,000 to Gulf and Middle Eastern countries
- Previous Requirement
- Character certificate from police for visa applicants
- Previous Ban
- In December 2024, UAE and Saudi Arabia banned visas from 30 Pakistani cities
- Visa Facilitation Reforms
- Online applications, e-visas without passport stamping, faster digital linkages, and processing at the newly launched UAE Visa Centre
Sources
UAE Halts Visas For Pakistanis Amid Rising Cases Of Begging And Crime
UAE stops giving visas to Pakistani nationals
UAE freezes visas for Pakistanis; Islamabad says full passport ban was ‘on the table’
UAE not to issue visas to most Pakistanis; was mulling Pak passport ban: Report
UAE halts most Pakistani visas as criminal cases rise, officials warn ban may harden
UAE 'stopped short' of banning Pakistanis but tightens visa rules for them. What pushed Dubai this far?
Are UAE and Saudi Arabia banning Pakistanis?
UAE has stopped issuing visas to Pakistanis – ‘Complete ban’ on passport next? Pak official says ‘if…’
UAE stops issuing visa to Pakistani national in view of Pakistanis being involved in criminals activities
