Reports of a “UAE visa ban Pakistan” situation resurfaced Thursday after Additional Interior Secretary Salman Chaudhry told a Senate committee that the UAE had “not been issuing visas to Pakistanis,” warning that the Pakistani passport had narrowly avoided a formal ban.
He said only blue and diplomatic passport holders were receiving visas, citing concerns over criminal activity among travelers. Senators confirmed that very few visas had been approved recently and only after “much difficulty.”
However, UAE officials sharply denied any restrictions.
UAE Consul General in Karachi Bakheet Ateeq Alremeithi dismissed talk of a ban, stating that “every type of visa is being processed.” He attributed delays to an unprecedented surge in applications, with some categories requiring bookings over a month in advance.
The contradiction comes as the newly launched UAE Visa Centre processes nearly 500 visas daily, and Ambassador Salem Al Zaabi announced major reforms including online applications, e-visas, and faster verification systems.
Pakistan and the UAE, who have long been partners in trade, labor, and investment, renewed their determination to enhance cooperation and silently addressed the issue of human trafficking and visit visa abuse.
