ISLAMABAD: The Embassy of United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Islamabad on Thursday issued revised requirements for Pakistani applicants, seeking visit, tourist, and family visas.
According to a UAE embassy spokesperson, visa fee has also been increased from $60 to $69 for 30 days stay on Single Entry Visa.
The applicants must submit their applications online, with a processing fee of $69, the spokesperson said, adding that once the application is submitted, the embassy or the visa centre will notify the applicant if an in-person visit is required.
He also asked applicants to must carry proof of their visa application documents and provide a stamped bank statement from the past six months, either for themselves, their parents, or their sponsor.
The bank statement must show a minimum account balance of $5,000, he added.
The new guidelines also require applicants to submit proof of accommodation, which can include a hotel reservation or documents confirming their stay with friends or relatives.
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Besides, applicants have also to present a confirmed return air ticket upon their visit to the embassy or visa centre.
The guidelines further state that applicants must bring their original national identity card or passport, which must be valid for at least six months.
For children, the process varies by age. Those under five are not required to visit the visa centre. Children between six and 15 years of age do not need to bring a photograph, as their picture will be taken at the visa centre.
However, applicants aged 15 and above must visit the visa centre, where their visa process will be conducted in the same manner as adult applicants, the spokesperson added.
It may be remembered that Pakistanis have been facing difficulties in getting UAE visas since long. Although, government of both sides have been rejecting any official restrictions, but applicants have been complaining of continuous visa rejections. They didn’t even get visas for watching the Champions Trophy match in Dubai.
Meanwhile, Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development was told Thursday that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had raised the issue of UAE employment visa restrictions during his recent visit to the Emirates.