Pakistani residents in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are reportedly facing concern over their residency status.
Some residents have reportedly found that their UAE residence visas were cancelled while they were visiting Pakistan.
According to accounts shared by Pakistani expatriates, some residents travelled to Pakistan between July 22 and July 28.
They went for holidays, medical treatment or family emergencies. Some later found out that their UAE residence visas had been cancelled while they were outside the country.
The reports have caused concern among Pakistanis living and working in the UAE. Many residents need to travel to Pakistan for short visits.
Some people who found that their visas were still active reportedly returned to the UAE earlier than planned. They did so because they feared their visas could also be cancelled.
Read more: UAE resumes visit visas for Pakistanis
No confirmed new rule
The reports come at a time when Pakistani nationals are already facing uncertainty over UAE visa approvals.
There is no officially announced blanket visa ban on Pakistanis in the UAE in 2026. However, visa applications and approvals have reportedly become more selective. Applicants are also facing more checks.
UAE residency rules state that staying outside the country for a long period can affect a residence visa.
The commonly known limit is six months of continuous absence. However, some exceptions and other immigration rules may apply.
The reported cases from July are different. The residents involved reportedly stayed outside the UAE for only days or weeks.
There is currently no official confirmation that the UAE introduced a new rule in July to cancel Pakistani residents’ visas after short trips to Pakistan.