Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has informed the National Assembly that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has not imposed any official visa ban on Pakistani citizens.
However, the strict scrutiny process is due to various issues that the Pakistani government and its embassy are actively addressing with UAE authorities.
In a written response submitted to the National Assembly, the Foreign Minister stated that UAE officials confirmed there is no formal visa restriction on Pakistanis.
The UAE Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs, and Port Security has introduced a five-year visa, requiring applicants to provide a round-trip ticket, hotel booking, proof of property ownership, and an advance payment of 3,000 dirhams.
The response also highlighted that some Pakistani applicants were found submitting fake degrees and fraudulent employment contracts, while a few Pakistanis residing in the UAE were reportedly involved in political and criminal activities.
Additionally, some members of the Pakistani community were found misusing social media platforms.
Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar further informed the National Assembly that the Pakistani embassy in Abu Dhabi has engaged with UAE officials at ministerial and under-secretary levels, while Foreign Office officials in Islamabad have also raised the matter with the UAE embassy.
He assured that the government of Pakistan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs remain in continuous contact with their UAE counterparts to resolve these issues.
