In the last eight months, there has been an increase in cases of Pakistani workers being refused entry to UAE airports due to a lack of documents. The Pakistani Embassy has warned its citizens not to travel to the UAE on visa visitors without the required documents.
The same advises the Pakistanis that they risk returning home if they do not adhere to these rules. They also repeat that they should only travel with a tourist permit to seek employment, with concrete job offers, VisaGuide.World reports.
Regarding this issue, the UAE has recently applied stricter controls at the country’s airport to prevent job seekers from entering on visiting visas.
Unfortunately, these are workers looking for a job who think they will be able to find one once they are here. We want to tell them to travel here once they have a clear offer from a company and the necessary documentation; otherwise, it’s shooting an arrow in the dark.
UAE Records Cases of Pakistanis Unable to Show Required Visa Documents at UAE Airports
According to Pakistan’s ambassador to the UAE, Faisal Tirmizi, citizens were not banned from entering the UAE.
However, he points out that the embassy and consulate staff often received calls from Pakistanis on UAE visit visas at Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports who were asked to return home as they needed the required documents, accommodation and funds to cover their stay.
The message we want to send is that even on a visit visa, you need at least Dh3,000 [$816], valid hotel accommodation and a return air ticket. They should only travel to the UAE when all their documentation is complete.
To prevent the entry of job seekers who overstay their visit visas, visitors must have a return ticket, a hotel reservation, and a minimum of Dh3,000 for their stay. The UAE’s General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs has not commented in response to the increased controls. However, it has been indicated that there have been cases of people from other countries who have been asked to obtain a return flight home when they cannot show sufficient funds.
The previous regulations intended to ensure that people do not abuse the tourist visa system to overstay for 30 or 60 days. In 2022, the UAE introduced a special visa for job seekers. The UAE 60-day multiple entry visa for job seekers aims to attract new talent and skilled professionals.
Pakistanis make up the second largest foreign contingent in the UAE after Indians, with about 1.8 million living there.