ISLAMABAD: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has temporarily suspended the issuance of visit visas to twelve countries, including Pakistan, until further notice.
Confirming the report regarding suspension of issuance of visas, Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri, Foreign Office Spokesperson, said the decision by the UAE authorities is “believed to be related to the second wave of Covid-19”.
Spokesperson in a statement said, “We are seeking official confirmation from the concerned UAE authorities in this regard”.
Chaudhri clarified that the suspension will not apply to visas that have already been issued.
Meanwhile, the matter related to suspension of issuance of visit visas was also confirmed by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) spokesperson Abdullah Hafeez, saying written instructions had not been issued to the airline so far. People holding iqama, transit and work visas were still allowed entry in the UAE, he maintained.
It was not immediately clear how many categories of visas would be affected by the suspension. The UAE has various visa categories including business, tourist, transit, student etc.
