Pakistan, UAE agree on pre-immigration clearance to ease airport congestion

Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates have agreed to introduce a pre-immigration clearance system that will allow passengers to complete immigration formalities before departure, enabling them to bypass lengthy arrival procedures at UAE airports.

The decision was taken during a meeting between a UAE delegation, led by Director General of Customs and Port Security Ahmed bin Lahij Al Falasi, and Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. Talks focused on bilateral relations, cooperation, and efforts to simplify travel and immigration processes.

Under the agreement, a formal pact on “pre-immigration clearance” will be signed, with the system initially launched on a pilot basis in Karachi. If successful, it will later be expanded to additional cities.

Speaking after the meeting, Naqvi said immigration and related clearance procedures would be completed in Pakistan prior to departure. As a result, passengers arriving in the UAE would be treated as domestic arrivals and allowed to exit airports without undergoing standard immigration checks.

He said the initiative would save time, ease congestion at airports, and significantly improve the passenger experience.

The UAE delegation described the initiative as mutually beneficial and expressed readiness to cooperate fully. Both sides agreed to continue coordination to finalize the administrative and technical framework required for the pilot project.

The UAE delegation included Executive Director for Digital Transformation Juma Abdullah Al-Qabi, Executive Director for Airports Hammad Saif Al-Mashghouni, and other senior officials. Pakistan’s Minister of State for Interior, Talal Chaudhry, and Interior Secretary Khurram Agha were also present.

Visa concerns in focus

The announcement comes amid recent concerns over visa processing between Pakistan and the UAE. According to reporting by Dawn, Pakistani nationals have faced increased visit visa rejections in recent months, with travel agents citing particularly high refusal rates for first-time applicants despite complete documentation.

The issue has prompted debate in Pakistan’s parliament, where officials claimed visa issuance had become restricted for most Pakistani passport holders. UAE officials have denied any blanket ban, saying applications continue to be processed under revised criteria.

Observers say the introduction of pre-immigration clearance could help restore traveler confidence and signal closer coordination between the two countries on mobility and border management.