Visa-free entry begins between Pakistan, UAE for diplomatic, official passport holders

Citizens of Pakistan and the UAE — holding a diplomatic or official passport — no longer need a visa to travel to each other’s country and this new policy has now officially started.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar announced that a visa waiver agreement between Pakistan and the UAE is now in effect.

The agreement, which waives visa requirements for diplomatic and official passport holders from both countries, was signed between Dar and his UAE counterpart, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, on June 24.

The agreement has come into effect 30 days later, on July 25, and is now being implemented at all airports in both the UAE and Pakistan.

Pakistan, UAE sign visa exemption agreement for select passport holders

In a post on X, FM Dar said: “In my meeting at Abu Dhabi on 24th June 2025 with my brother Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of UAE, His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, we agreed mutual visa waivers on diplomatic and official passports between our two brotherly countries and we both signed a Memorandum of Understanding to make this arrangement effective and operative after 30days of the signing of the said MoU.

“Am pleased to confirm that I have been informed by the UAE authorities that the visa waiver for diplomatic and official Pakistani passports entering the United Arab Emirates has been activated, effective July 25, 2025, at all UAE airports. Am glad to also confirm that reciprocal arrangements have also been activated for UAE nationals at all Pakistani airports.”

In a social media post on June 25, Dar had said that three important MoUs were signed between Pakistan and UAE: Visa exemption for diplomatic and official passport holders; cooperation in AI & the digital economy; and joint investment promotion, which will pave the way for enhanced engagement to the mutual benefit of both nations.

The foreign ministers of Pakistan and UAE had also discussed matters across multiple domains of bilateral cooperation and explored new avenues for collaboration in trade, investment, energy, infrastructure development and IT during this meeting last month.