The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has resumed issuing visit visas to Pakistani citizens applying through registered travel agents, bringing relief to applicants following months of uncertainty and lengthy processing delays.
According to travel industry representatives and an official at the UAE Embassy, the move marks a significant improvement in visa processing, particularly for families whose applications had previously faced extended scrutiny and delays.
The UAE is home to nearly 1.8 million Pakistanis, making it one of the largest overseas destinations for Pakistani expatriates. The latest development is expected to facilitate family visits and strengthen travel between the two countries.
Travel industry representatives said families are among the biggest beneficiaries, with visit visa applications now being processed more efficiently and decisions being issued within a shorter timeframe.
Muhammad Nadeem Sharif, Chief Executive of Aroma Travels and former chairman of the Travel Agents Association of Pakistan, said the UAE Embassy in Pakistan had started issuing visit visas to Pakistani tourists travelling with their families, describing the development as a positive step.
He added that applicants travelling with family members or joining relatives already residing in the UAE were receiving timely responses.
Sharif further said tourism promotion campaigns had resumed, while passenger traffic was gradually recovering following recent regional tensions.
Meanwhile, a senior Pakistani immigration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the number of daily passengers travelling from Pakistan to Dubai had increased from around 170 earlier this summer to nearly 400 by the final week of July, reflecting a steady recovery in travel demand.
