Dubai has always been one of the most popular destinations for Pakistani nationals, whether for tourism, business, or employment. However, over the past year, getting a visa has become increasingly difficult. Many travelers are now searching for answers to the question: Are Dubai visas open for Pakistanis?
The truth is that while some visas are being processed, approval rates remain very low, and several categories have been completely suspended for Pakistanis. Below is the latest update on the situation.
30 Days Dubai Visit Visa
Status: Applications are still being accepted.
Approval Rate: Only about 50% of applications are being approved. The rest are rejected, even when applicants provide complete documentation.
48 and 96 Hours Dubai Transit Visa
Status: These visas are not being processed at all for Pakistanis.
Reason for Suspension: Authorities have taken this step due to repeated misuse of transit visas. Many applicants overstayed their permitted duration or used the visa to attempt longer stays, which led to stricter controls.
Impact on Travelers: As a result, genuine passengers who only wanted a short layover in Dubai during their onward journey have been affected the most, facing difficulties in arranging smooth connections.
5-Year Multiple Entry Dubai Visa
Status: This visa category exists but has an extremely high rejection ratio for Pakistan.
“I’ve been trying to come to Dubai for almost 10 months. First, visit visas were banned, then the UAE introduced the 5-year multiple entry visa requiring a $5,000 closing balance. I met this requirement, with business transactions over 120,000 AED in six months, but still my application was refused. I’m a businessman looking to set up a company in Dubai, but these restrictions are a huge hindrance.”
Dubai Work Visa
Status: Direct work visas for Pakistanis are very limited.
With Most job seekers are told to first apply for a visit visa, and change their status to resident.
Community Reactions
The frustration isn’t limited to individuals — even online communities like Reddit are filled with debates. One commenter wrote:
“They’re done with Pakistani nationals. I’m not sure what other reason they have for this, but the Pakistani community may have brought a lot of good things, but they have also created lots of issues. The biggest scammers in UAE are Pakistanis. The biggest loan defaulters are Pakistanis. Plus, all the wealthy Pakistanis make it into the UAE because they hold other nationalities.”
This shows a mixed sentiment: while genuine travelers and businesspeople feel unfairly treated, others admit that what is it by some Pakistanis may have contributed to these restrictions.
Are Dubai Visas Open for Pakistanis Right Now?
As of now, the only category actively being processed is the 30-day visit visa, and even that comes with a 50% rejection rate. Other visas, like the 48-hour and 96-hour transit visas, remain suspended, while the 5-year multiple entry visa faces very high rejection rates.
There is currently no official Dubai visa open date for Pakistani nationals. The UAE immigration authorities have not released any statement about when normal processing will resume.
This shows a mixed sentiment: while genuine travelers and businesspeople feel unfairly treated, others admit that what is it by some Pakistanis may have contributed to these restrictions.
