DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has apparently banned citizens of nine African and Asian nations from applying for work and tourist permits.
The ban includes Uganda, Sudan, Somalia, Cameroon, Libya, Afghanistan, Yemen, Lebanon, and Bangladesh.
Applications from the countries have been suspended pending notice, and no new work or tourist visas are being issued, the immigration circular says.
Although UAE authorities have not made the reason public, reports indicate potential connections to security issues and diplomatic relations.
UAE Visa Ban for Pakistanis
As per official sources, there is no blanket ban in place by the UAE for Pakistani nationals applying for visas, whether work, residence, or tourist.
Applications from Pakistanis could be facing delay or increased scrutiny, particularly in some visa categories, as a result of revised rules and increased checks by UAE immigration authorities.
Early in 2025, the UAE launched a five-year multiple-entry visa for Pakistani citizens, and top UAE officials made it clear that “visa issues have been resolved” and that Pakistanis can apply.
However, there are various types of reasons for the “ban” perception:
Pakistani applicants have been rejected or delayed due to issues such as fake or incomplete documents, prior visa overstay, or adverse records.
The visa regime for nationals of all countries was reformed, adding extra requirements (e.g., hotel reservation, return airfare, security clearance).
These changes could have been draconian in their impact on Pakistani applicants merely because so many had faulty files.
