Citizens From These Pakistani Cities Are Banned From Getting UAE Visit Visas – Here’s The List

LAHORE – Authorities in the United Arab Emirates have banned some cities in Pakistan from issuing visitor visas.

The ban has yet to be officially announced; however, those with a “place of birth” in the banned cities will not be able to obtain visit visas to Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.

According to sources familiar with the matter, Pakistani citizens whose birthplaces are from the following cities will not be granted visitor visas:

Abbottabad, Attock, Bajaur Agency, Chakwal, Dera Ghazi Khan, Dera Ismail Khan, Hangu, Hunza, Quetta, Kasur, Kohat, Kotli AJK, Khushab, Kurram Agency, Larkana, Mohmand Agency, Muzaffargarh, Nawabshah, Parachinar, Sahiwal, Sargodha, Sheikhupura, Skardu and Sukkur.

The ban does not mean that all visa applications will be refused. However, the chances of issuing visas to residents of these cities are slim.

Pakistan Daily contacted immigration officials in Lahore, one of whom, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed that the ban had been imposed by the authorities for a number of reasons, including violating visa regulations.

“Potential tourists with a clean travel history and good bank statements still stand a chance of obtaining a visit visa to the UAE,” they said.

Officials believe the initial ban was for six cities, but people in 24 cities will now face bans.

“The immigration department is also only allowing potential visitors with about 5,000 DHS and a return ticket,” the official said.

It is worth mentioning that the UAE is home to approximately 1.7 million Pakistanis, making it the second largest Pakistani diaspora community in the world.

Data from the State Bank of Pakistan confirms that remittances from the UAE to Pakistan stood at $2,555.22 million in FY22, implying that the country employs a large number of Pakistani labor in sectors ranging from banking to real estate.