When Nadeem, a 28-year-old marketing professional from Lahore, planned his first leisure trip to Dubai, he expected a seamless process. Instead, his visit visa was rejected twice — first in January, then again in November — leaving him confused and stuck in a cycle many Pakistani travellers now find familiar. His travel agent blamed heightened scrutiny for applicants “under 40”, a claim that deepened his frustration.
“I’m employed, I submitted everything. My friend, a freelancer, got it on the first attempt,” he said, adding that his third application is still pending.
Nadeem’s experience reflects a growing trend: a surge in UAE visa rejections, even though the two countries maintain strong diplomatic and economic ties. The UAE remains one of Pakistan’s biggest trading partners and home to one of the largest Pakistani expatriate communities.
Pakistan Points to ‘Restrictions’, Safety Concerns
On Thursday, Additional Interior Secretary Salman Chaudhry told the Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights that the UAE was “not issuing visas to Pakistanis,” though he clarified there was no formal ban. Committee Chairperson Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri told Dawn that restrictions stem from concerns over travellers becoming involved in criminal activities. She noted that only a small number of visas were being approved — and that too “after much difficulty.”
The issue is not new. In early 2025, the Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis heard that some UAE visas were “unofficially closed.” Authorities cited concerns over applicants resorting to begging and misuse of visit visas.
Pakistan’s former ambassador to the UAE, Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, also acknowledged that the UAE had raised red flags over document authenticity, criminal records, and attestation discrepancies. AI-based verification systems, he said, were identifying mismatched or tampered submissions.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi reportedly took up the matter with UAE authorities again in July after fresh waves of rejections, particularly for young male applicants.
UAE Rejects ‘Ban’ Claims, Points to Data Tampering
Despite these complaints, the UAE insists there is no ban on Pakistani applicants.
A senior diplomat at the UAE embassy told Dawn that rejections stemmed from past manipulation of applicant data by some Pakistani agents, prompting the introduction of a centralised, more secure visa system.
“The UAE issues visas daily. Data tampering created problems, so stricter verification was implemented,” he said.
He added that the UAE has established three biometric desks at its embassy to ensure transparency and that over 500 visas are now processed daily through the newly launched UAE Visa Centre in Pakistan.
UAE Ambassador Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salem Al-Zaabi also briefed Pakistan’s finance minister on major visa reforms—including e-visas without passport stamping, online submissions, and faster digital linkages—declaring that visa issues had been resolved earlier this year.
Yet Travellers See Little Improvement on the Ground
Despite diplomatic assurances, applicants continue to face repeated rejections and opaque processes.
- Journalist Fatima Attarwala was rejected twice while trying to cover Dubai’s Gulfood event. She said applicants under 45 faced blanket refusals.
- Corporate professional Syed Abbas Raza Naqvi, 25, applied three times with full company sponsorship and was eventually granted a costly “guaranteed visa” after multiple rejections.
- Sports journalist Muzamil Asif missed coverage of the Asia Cup due to rejection despite full accreditation — his agent citing “100pc rejection” for single men under 35.
Travel agents confirm widespread refusals:
– Single-entry visas face 70–80pc rejections,
– Applicants with family ties fare far better,
– Strong financial documentation (up to Rs3 million in a six-month bank statement) significantly improves approval chances,
– Previous overstays and unclear records often lead to automatic refusals.
An Issue Extending Beyond Pakistan
Visa rejections are not limited to Pakistanis. Travellers from African countries also reported age-based or first-time applicant rejections for events and conferences.
Still, for many Pakistani travellers, the uncertainty feels like a gamble.
“You’re playing a lottery with your plans, your money, your work,” said Nadeem. “I just want clarity — can I go or not?”
For now, Pakistani authorities insist UAE restrictions are real, while UAE officials maintain the system is functioning normally, attributing delays to data issues and stricter scrutiny.
Caught between these two narratives, ordinary travellers continue to bear the brunt of an inconsistent and confusing visa process.
Story by Dawn Additional reporting by Abdullah Mohmand.
