In a significant update for travel and diplomatic relations, Pakistani citizens are now eligible for a five-year multiple-entry tourist visa to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The development was confirmed by UAE Ambassador to Pakistan, Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salem Al Zaabi, during a meeting with Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori at the Governor’s House in Karachi on April 8, 2025. The visa policy shift is expected to enhance mobility for Pakistanis while resolving previous concerns related to visa issuance.
The UAE’s immigration authority—Dubai’s General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA)—has outlined the structure of the visa on its official portal. The five-year tourist visa in UAE enables individuals to enter the country multiple times within the validity period, without the requirement of a local sponsor or guarantor.
This new visa option provides much-needed flexibility for tourists, entrepreneurs, and families alike, allowing for stays of up to 90 days per visit, extendable to 180 days annually.
“Visa issues have been resolved. Pakistanis can get a five-year visa,”
Ambassador Zaabi noted in an official statement released by the Governor House.
Governor Tessori expressed appreciation for the UAE’s continued investment in Sindh, especially Karachi. In return, the UAE ambassador praised the development projects underway under the governor’s initiatives. He also invited the governor to visit the UAE’s visa processing center located at the Karachi consulate to further strengthen collaborative efforts.
This diplomatic breakthrough reflects a thaw in the strained visa situation that had recently caused concern among Pakistani travelers and officials.
Over the past year, UAE authorities had reportedly ramped up checks on visitors from Pakistan. A Senate committee meeting in December 2024 highlighted concerns over the misuse of visit visas for illegal activities such as begging. As a precautionary measure, police verification was mandated for all outbound travelers from Pakistan to the UAE, and travel agents were advised accordingly.
Additionally, in January 2025, the Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development clarified that no official embargo existed on employment visas. However, there were informal hesitations, primarily due to the misuse of tourist visas.
Further complicating matters, UAE Consul-General in Karachi, Dr. Bakheet Ateeq Alremeithi, told Geo News in November 2024 that the behavior of certain social media influencers had contributed to visa denials. He emphasized that inappropriate content on platforms like TikTok had triggered dissatisfaction within the UAE government, though he affirmed there was no formal ban on Pakistani travelers.
This recent announcement clears the air and opens the door for Pakistanis seeking long-term travel options to the UAE. It is especially promising for families with loved ones in the Emirates, frequent business travelers, and tourism enthusiasts.
The five-year visa is expected to encourage lawful and productive engagement between the people of both nations, while allowing UAE authorities to maintain necessary oversight.
With travel norms easing and diplomatic ties reaffirmed, this move marks a positive turn for Pakistani nationals eager to visit the UAE more frequently and for extended periods. As the policy unfolds, travelers are encouraged to consult the UAE consulate in Karachi or the official GDRFA website for the most up-to-date visa procedures and application details.
