According to news sources, Pakistani passport holders can still obtain travel visas from the UAE. Speculation spread on social media and in Pakistan press that the UAE had started to reject visa applications from Pakistan.
The reports claimed that Pakistan passport holders with a place of birth listed among select cities, including Dera Ghazi Khan, Kasur, Kohat, Quetta, Sahiwal, Sargodha, Sheikhupura, and Sukkur, were being denied a visa in the UAE. Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch has since denied the reports: “We have seen the reports and can confirm that no such ban is in place by UAE for issuance of visas to Pakistani citizens.”
The reports were also denied by the UAE, with Consulate General of the United Arab Emirates Karachi Bakheet Ateeq Al Remeith, saying that the government had imposed no such ban, calling the reports “fake news.”
Visitors wanting to visit the United Arab Emirates should apply to their consulate for a visit visa in the usual fashion, Remeith said in an interview with Geo News. Last month travelers coming into the United Arab Emirates from Pakistan were told they were not allowed to enter the country unless they observe new passport rules.
Passengers travelling from Pakistan who have just a single name in their passports will not be able to enter the United Arab Emirates, it was confirmed. The new regulations will not apply to travellers with residence or employment visas.
