The United Arab Emirates (UAE) reportedly stopped issuing new visas to citizens of 13 Muslim-majority countries, including Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan. According to the Reuters news agency, a source briefed on the matter said visa issuance was temporarily halted over security concerns, but did not provide details on those concerns.
The Dubai Airport Free Zone said in a statement that the suspension went into effect on November 18 and would be in effect until further notice. The suspension is primarily aimed at new jobs and tourist visas. It was not clear if there were any exceptions to the ban.
Last week, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said that the UAE had stopped processing new visas for its citizens, however, it added that people who already had valid visas were not affected. Reuters reported that the United Arab Emirates had strained relations with some of the listed states, such as Turkey.
Here is the list of 13 countries facing a temporary visa ban by the UAE:
1. Pakistan
2. Iran
3. Afghanistan
4. Syria
5. Somalia
6. Libya
7. Yemen
8. Algeria
9. Iraq
10. Turkey
11. Lebanon
12. Kenya
13. Tunisia
(With contributions from the agency)
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