UAE Resumes Five-Year Multiple-Entry Tourist Visas for Pakistanis
In a significant diplomatic development, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has reinstated five-year multiple-entry tourist visas for Pakistani nationals, following the resolution of earlier concerns that had led to tightened entry requirements.
The announcement was made by UAE Ambassador to Pakistan, Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salem Al Zaabi, during a meeting with Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori at the Governor's House. "Visa issues have been resolved, Pakistanis can get a five-year visa,"
Zaabi stated, according to an official press release.
The visa, according to the UAE's General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs, allows individuals to make several trips to the country over five years without the need for a local guarantor or host. This move is expected to boost tourism and people-to-people ties between the two nations.
Ambassador Zaabi also extended an invitation to Governor Tessori to visit the UAE visa centre in Karachi. The governor, in turn, expressed gratitude for the UAE's continued investment in Sindh, particularly in Karachi, and appreciated the ambassador's recognition of ongoing provincial development projects.
The announcement comes after months of scrutiny and unofficial restrictions that had affected Pakistani travellers. Increased concerns over the misuse of visit visas, including involvement in unlawful activities such as begging, prompted UAE authorities to vet all Pakistani visitors more rigorously. A Senate panel in Pakistan was informed in December that police verification had become mandatory for all Pakistanis traveling to the UAE, with travel agents instructed accordingly.
Despite these concerns, UAE officials have consistently maintained that there is no formal ban on visas for Pakistanis. In an interview with Geo News in November last year, UAE's Consul-General in Karachi, Dr Bakheet Ateeq Alremeithi, acknowledged that visa rejections may be linked to negative social media behavior by some Pakistani influencers, especially on platforms like TikTok, which reportedly displeased Emirati authorities.
However, during a Senate committee session in January, it was clarified that there were 'no restrictions on work visas' for Pakistanis, although visit visa approvals had seen unofficial delays due to the UAE's reservations.
With the announcement of the reinstated five-year multiple-entry visa, the UAE appears to be easing those restrictions and restoring travel opportunities for Pakistani nationals, while still emphasizing the importance of responsible behavior and compliance with host country regulations.
The development is being seen as a positive step forward in strengthening UAE-Pakistan bilateral relations and fostering greater mobility between the two nations.
News Source: Khaleej Times
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