Pakistan, UAE agree to sign 'pre-immigration clearance' agreement

Dhaka: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Pakistan agreed to sign a formal agreement on "pre-immigration clearance" for Pakistani travelers visiting the Arabian country on Tuesday, January 14, according to a statement from the Ministry of Interior in Pakistan.

The agreement, when finalized, will allow Pakistani passengers to complete the immigration process in Pakistan before travel and bypass the lengthy immigration process upon arrival in the UAE. Therefore, it will enable them to exit the airport directly like domestic passengers.

The decision was made during a meeting between Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and a delegation from the UAE, led by Director General of Customs and Port Security Ahmed Bin Lahij Al Falasi.

Naqvi said the system will be launched as a pilot project initially, with the first phase set to begin in Karachi. After the pilot phase, it will be expanded to other cities in Pakistan. However, the statement did not specify an exact date for the commencement of the pilot project.

The development came when Pakistani travelers faced severe difficulties obtaining visas to the UAE throughout 2025. This is mainly due to a widespread concern over Pakistani visitors begging in the Gulf country. Currently, diplomatic efforts are ongoing to resolve the issue.