Key points
- Sindh governor thanks UAE diplomat for investment in the province
- UAE ambassador praises ongoing projects under the governor’s initiative
- UAE authorities have previously clarified that no visa restrictions were in place
ISLAMABAD: Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Pakistan Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salem Al-Zaabi announced on Tuesday that Pakistanis can now apply for a five-year visa after the resolution of existing issues.
The development came during a meeting between Zaabi and Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori at the Governor House in Karachi.
“Visa issues have been resolved, Pakistanis can get a five-year visa,” Zaabi was quoted as saying in a press release from the Governor House.
According to the website of Dubai’s General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs, the country issues multiple-entry tourist visas for five years.
Multiple entries
The visa allows a person to make several trips to the UAE from the date of issue, without needing a guarantor or host within the country, Dawn reported.
The envoy invited the governor to visit the visa centre at the Karachi consulate.
Tessori thanked the UAE diplomat for his country’s investment in the province, especially in Karachi. The ambassador praised ongoing projects under the governor’s initiative.
Clarification
Previously, there were rumours about a ban on visas for Pakistanis to the UAE. However, UAE authorities clarified that no such ban was in place.
According to Dawn, Pakistan’s Senate panel was informed on December 23 that all Pakistani travellers to the UAE needed to be vetted and verified by the police. Travel agents were also instructed in this regard.
“In another meeting on Jan 9, the Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development was told that there were no restrictions on work visas for Pakistanis travelling to the UAE. It further learnt that visas to the UAE had been “unofficially closed,” the news outlet reported.
