The United Arab Emirates has quietly tightened its visa rules for Pakistani citizens. Reports suggest that the UAE considered a near-complete visa ban before stepping back. On Thursday (Nov 27), a senior official from Pakistan’s Interior Ministry confirmed that the Gulf nation has stopped issuing most visa categories for Pakistani passport holders.
No Official Ban Yet, But Restrictions Are Strong
Additional Interior Secretary Salman Chaudhry briefed Pakistan’s Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights about the situation. He said the UAE and Saudi Arabia had “stopped short of imposing a ban on the Pakistani passport”. He added that the move was paused for now, but warned that reversing such a step would be extremely difficult if either nation decided to go ahead in the future.
At the moment, the UAE accepts only diplomatic and blue official passports from Pakistan. Millions of ordinary travellers carry green passports, which means they now face major roadblocks unless they fall under government service categories.
Why UAE Restricted Visas for Pakistanis?
Committee chairperson Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri supported the Interior Ministry’s briefing. She said Gulf countries had raised concerns about Pakistanis “getting involved in criminal activities”, especially petty fraud and visa misuse. She noted that only a small number of visas were approved in recent months, and even those were cleared “after much difficulty”.
The UAE hosts one of the largest Pakistani communities in the world. Their remittances form a major support system for Pakistan’s economy. The ongoing visa freeze could severely affect Pakistani families and may also impact the country’s fragile foreign reserves.
Previous Visa Tensions: Begging Cases Triggered Earlier Restrictions
This is not the first time the UAE has tightened entry rules for Pakistanis. Earlier this year, reports suggested that UAE authorities informally closed visas for Pakistani citizens. Officials linked the move to growing complaints that some Pakistanis were begging in the UAE instead of seeking genuine employment.
In July, Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi raised concerns about rising visa rejections. UAE authorities reportedly assured him that approvals would speed up. In April, the Pakistani ambassador even announced that citizens would qualify for a five-year visa soon.
But those promises now appear distant as visit visas for ordinary passport holders remain unclear. Work visas are still open, but uncertainty continues.
UAE Shift Toward High-Skill Migration
The tightening also reflects a larger regional shift. Gulf countries, including the UAE, are increasingly prioritising high-skill foreign workers. Their new economic strategies focus on technology, specialised trades, and regulated labour pools.
This shift means countries like Pakistan, which send a large number of low-skill workers, face stricter scrutiny. The policy change may signal the UAE’s long-term plan to reshape its labour market while controlling irregular migration.
