The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has resumed issuing visit visas to Pakistanis applying through registered travel agents, easing months of uncertainty over travel to one of Pakistan’s most popular overseas destinations.
The development comes after months of complaints from applicants about long processing delays and increased scrutiny, despite repeated assurances from both Pakistan and the UAE that no official visa ban was in place.
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Travel industry representatives said the biggest improvement has been for families, with applications now being processed more smoothly.
Muhammad Nadeem Sharif, chief executive of Aroma Travels and former chairman of the Travel Agents Association of Pakistan (TAAP), said Pakistani tourists traveling with their families are once again receiving visit visas.
He added that applications from people visiting relatives in the UAE are also being processed more efficiently. According to Sharif, tourism promotion campaigns have resumed, while passenger traffic has gradually recovered after declining during recent regional tensions.
A senior Pakistani immigration official told Arab News that the number of passengers traveling daily from Pakistan to Dubai has increased from around 170 earlier this summer to about 400 by the final week of July. However, the figure remains below the nearly 1,000 daily travelers recorded two years ago.
Muhammad Hanif Rinch, a TAAP office bearer, also confirmed that more family visa applications have been approved since last week, although individual applicants continue to face higher rejection rates.
A UAE embassy official in Pakistan confirmed that visit visas are being issued to holders of ordinary passports who apply through registered travel agencies. The official added that applicants with complete documentation can now submit their applications without difficulty.
Pakistan and the UAE have been working to improve the visa process after stricter background checks and documentation requirements led to delays for many Pakistani applicants.
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