The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Pakistan on Tuesday agreed to sign a formal agreement on “pre-immigration clearance” for Pakistani nationals visiting the Gulf country, said a statement by the Ministry of Interior.

The agreement, when signed, will enable Pakistani nationals to bypass lengthy immigration processes upon arrival in the UAE.

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

“The immigration process for the passengers will be completed in Pakistan before travel,” Naqvi was quoted as saying.

He added that with the implementation of the system, Pakistani nationals will be able to bypass lengthy immigration processes upon arrival in the UAE.

“They will be able to exit the airport directly like domestic passengers,” said Naqvi.

The interior minister detailed that the system will be launched as a pilot project, with the first phase set to begin in Karachi. He did not mention any date for the commencement of the pilot project.

Naqvi voiced optimism that the new system will “facilitate travel and improve the overall travel experience”.

The UAE delegation vowed to cooperate during the implementation of the initiative, labelling it as “beneficial” for both countries.

“Relevant authorities will coordinate with each other to finalise the administrative and technical aspects of the pilot project,” the statement read.

It added that after the pilot phase in Karachi, the system will be expanded to other cities as well.

Also present at the meeting were Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry and Federal Secretary for Interior Khurram Agha.

Restrictions on UAE visas

The development comes as Pakistanis, in the past year, have faced increased difficulties in obtaining visas to the UAE.

In November 2025, Additional Interior Secretary Salman Chaudhry said that the UAE had not been issuing visas to Pakistanis.

The additional secretary made this revelation during a meeting of the Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights, further stating that Saudi Arabia and the UAE had “stopped short of imposing a ban on the Pakistani passport”.

Visa rejections were also faced by Pakistani citizens in early July last year, which prompted Naqvi to raise the issue with his UAE counterpart.

In a meeting held the same month, the UAE Lt Gen Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan assured Naqvi of “full support” in expediting visas for Pakistani citizens as the Pakistani minister sought “relaxation in visa policies”.

The UAE Ambassador to Pakistan, Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Salem Al-Zaabi, in April had also announced that visa issues had been resolved and Pakistanis could now avail a five-year visa.

The announcement came after the Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis, in January 2025, was told that some visas to the UAE had been “unofficially closed”.

Overseas Employment Promoter Aisam Baig had said the above, adding that the UAE government had reservations that Pakistanis on “visit visas, not work visas”, resort to begging in the country.

However, the committee’s chairman, Senator Zeeshan Khanzada, had said there were “no restrictions on work visas” for Pakistanis travelling to the Gulf country.