Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have agreed to sign a formal agreement introducing a “pre-immigration clearance” system for Pakistani nationals travelling to the Gulf country, a move aimed at streamlining arrival procedures and improving the travel experience, the Ministry of Interior said on Tuesday.
According to an official statement, the decision was taken during a meeting between Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and a UAE delegation led by Director General of Customs and Port Security Ahmed Bin Lahij Al Falasi. The proposed agreement will allow immigration formalities for Pakistani passengers to be completed before departure from Pakistan.
Under the new system, Pakistani travellers will not be required to go through standard immigration checks upon landing in the UAE. “The immigration process for the passengers will be completed in Pakistan before travel,” Naqvi was quoted as saying. He added that travellers would be able to exit UAE airports directly, similar to domestic passengers.
The interior minister said the initiative would initially be launched as a pilot project, with Karachi selected as the first city for implementation. No specific timeline was provided for the commencement of the pilot phase. Following its evaluation, the system is expected to be expanded to other cities across Pakistan.
Naqvi expressed optimism that the pre-immigration clearance mechanism would facilitate smoother travel and enhance confidence among Pakistani travellers. The UAE delegation also welcomed the initiative, describing it as beneficial for both countries, and assured full cooperation during its rollout.
According to the statement, relevant authorities from both sides will work together to finalise the administrative and technical requirements of the pilot project. Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry and Federal Secretary for Interior Khurram Agha were also present at the meeting.
The interior minister said the “pre-immigration clearance” system for Pakistanis visiting UAE will be launched as a pilot project, with the first phase set to begin in Karachi. https://t.co/TN9N1HdGj7
— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) January 13, 2026
The development comes against the backdrop of difficulties faced by Pakistani citizens in obtaining UAE visas over the past year. In November 2025, Additional Interior Secretary Salman Chaudhry told the Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights that the UAE had stopped issuing visas to Pakistanis, while Saudi Arabia and the UAE had “stopped short of imposing a ban” on Pakistani passports.
You May Also Like: All Eyes on Airline Market as PIA Enters New Private Era
Earlier, in July last year, reports of visa rejections prompted Interior Minister Naqvi to raise the issue with his UAE counterpart. During that engagement, UAE Interior Minister Lt Gen Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan assured support in expediting visas and reviewing policies.
In April, UAE Ambassador to Pakistan Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salem Al-Zaabi announced that visa-related issues had been resolved and that Pakistanis could avail five-year visas. This followed discussions in the Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis, where concerns were raised about unofficial restrictions on certain visa categories.
Officials have previously indicated that concerns over misuse of visit visas, including involvement in begging, had contributed to stricter scrutiny, while maintaining that work visas for Pakistanis were not subject to formal restrictions.
Check out our latest video:
