Web desk: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has firmly rejected reports claiming that Pakistani citizens face a new visa ban.
Speaking to the media, the UAE ambassador clarified that no new restrictions have been imposed and described the circulating claims as “false and misleading.”
The clarification follows speculation about potential entry limitations for Pakistanis.
Has UAE Imposed Visa Ban on Pakistanis?
Pakistan’s ambassador to the UAE, Shafqat Ali Khan, also dismissed the rumours. According to the Foreign Office, the ambassador confirmed that Pakistani nationals continue to receive visas under normal procedures and that there is no disruption to travel or bilateral arrangements.
The Foreign Office added that the confusion may have arisen from outdated records referenced during a standing committee briefing, which were misinterpreted.
Officials emphasised that the UAE has introduced no new legislation or policy changes affecting visa issuance for Pakistani nationals. Travel procedures and bilateral relations remain unchanged.
On the contrary, the UAE recently unveiled significant visa facilitation measures for Pakistani citizens.
These include online visa processing, e-visas without the need for passport stamping, and streamlined procedures. The UAE reportedly processes nearly 500 visa applications for Pakistanis daily.
These developments were highlighted during a meeting between UAE Ambassador Salem M Salem AlBawab Al Zaabi and Pakistan’s Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb at the Finance Division.
Separately, the Trump administration announced on Thursday that it would review the immigration status of all permanent residents, or “Green Card” holders, from Afghanistan and 18 other countries in the wake of the attack on National Guard troops in Washington.
US officials have confirmed that the suspect detained in Wednesday’s shooting is an Afghan national who previously worked with American forces in Afghanistan.
The 29-year-old suspect was granted asylum, rather than permanent residency, in April this year, according to AfghanEvac, an organisation that assisted in resettling Afghans in the United States following the Taliban’s takeover in 2021.
