The United Arab Emirates has resumed issuing visit visas to Pakistani citizens applying through registered travel agencies. The development has eased months of uncertainty that affected travel between Pakistan and one of its most important overseas destinations.
The latest improvement is expected to benefit families, tourists and business travelers. Moreover, it could help restore travel volumes that declined during recent months.
Visit Visa Processing Resumes
Travel industry representatives confirmed that Pakistani applicants are once again receiving visit visas through authorized travel agencies.
For several months, many applicants experienced long processing delays and stricter scrutiny. However, officials in both Pakistan and the UAE consistently maintained that no official visa ban had been imposed on Pakistani nationals.
The latest development now indicates that the visa process has become smoother for eligible applicants.
Family Applications Show Positive Progress
Travel agents say family visa applications have recorded the most noticeable improvement.
Applications that previously remained pending for extended periods are now being processed more efficiently.
Muhammad Nadeem Sharif, Chief Executive of Aroma Travels and former chairman of the Travel Agents Association of Pakistan, welcomed the development.
He said, “The UAE embassy in Pakistan has started issuing visas to Pakistani tourists traveling with families, which is a positive development.”
According to Sharif, applicants travelling with family members or joining relatives already living in the UAE are receiving timely responses.
He also noted that tourism promotion activities have resumed, while passenger traffic is gradually recovering following recent regional tensions.
Travel Between Pakistan and Dubai Begins Recovering
Immigration officials have also observed a steady increase in passenger movement.
According to a senior Pakistani immigration official, approximately 400 passengers were travelling daily from Pakistan to Dubai by the final week of July.
Earlier in the summer, that figure stood at around 170 passengers per day.
However, officials noted that travel volumes remain below the roughly 1,000 daily passengers recorded two years ago.
Meanwhile, Muhammad Hanif Rinch, an office bearer of the Travel Agents Association of Pakistan, also confirmed that visa approvals have improved.
He said family applications are now achieving greater success after individual applicants experienced high rejection rates over the past several years.
Rinch added, “The situation has improved since last week and more Pakistanis traveling with families are getting visas.”
He further stated that families currently account for around 10 percent of Pakistani visitors travelling to the UAE.
UAE Embassy Confirms Visa Applications Are Open
An official at the UAE Embassy in Pakistan confirmed that visit visas are being issued to ordinary Pakistani passport holders applying through registered travel agents.
The official stated, “I don’t have the complete information, but visas are open through travel agents for ordinary passports.”
The official also explained that some applications had previously faced delays because of safety and security concerns.
However, applicants who submit complete documentation can now proceed with the application process without major difficulties.
Stricter Verification Followed Documentation Issues
The improved visa processing follows months of tighter scrutiny by UAE authorities.
Last year, Pakistan and the UAE agreed to take steps aimed at facilitating visa issuance after discussions between Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and his Emirati counterpart.
Later, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry informed parliament that some applicants had submitted forged academic degrees, employment contracts and other documents.
The ministry also stated that certain Pakistani nationals had faced legal action in the UAE over unauthorized political activities, criminal offences and misuse of social media.
Consequently, UAE authorities introduced stricter background checks and documentation requirements.
Despite those measures, the latest developments suggest that eligible applicants with complete documentation are now experiencing a smoother visa application process, particularly those travelling with their families.
