In another bad news for visa applicants, United Arab Emirates (UAE) has reportedly banned visas fcitizens from nine African and Asian countries from applying for tourist and work permits.
The ban applies to nationals from Uganda, Sudan, Somalia, Cameroon, Libya, Afghanistan, Yemen, Lebanon, and Bangladesh.
According to an immigration department, applications from these countries are suspended until further notice, with no new tourist or work visas being processed.
Meanwhile, UAE authorities have not officially explained the decision, reports revealed possible links to security concerns, and diplomatic tensions.
The UAE has implemented similar restrictions in the past, including temporary bans on Nigerian applicants, though official statements on such policies have often been limited.
In a separate development earlier, it was announced that holders of diplomatic and official passports from Bangladesh and Pakistan will now no longer need visas to travel between the two countries, officials said.
The Advisory Council of Bangladesh’s interim administration, led by Muhammad Yunus, approved a mutual visa exemption agreement, his press secretary Shafiqul Alam told a news conference in Dhaka.
“The agreement will be for five years. Those who have diplomatic and official passports will be able to travel to Pakistan without a visa,” Alam said. He noted that Bangladesh already has similar arrangements with 31 other countries.
After the deal, Pakistani officials will also be granted visa-free entry into Bangladesh.
It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan passport visa requirements allow entry to 31 destinations without a pre-approved visa through visa-free access, visas on arrival, or eTAs, though fees and stay limits vary by country.
