UAE ka visa nahin lag raha? Your social media activism might be why you’re unable to go to Dubai

There were rumours that getting a visa to Dubai was become harder and its possible that it’s true. What’s more shocking is that it might also include your comments on social media.

Dr. Bakheet Ateeq Al Remeithi, the Consul General of the UAE in Karachi, explained why some Pakistanis might have trouble getting visas to the Gulf country.

In an interview on Geo News’ program “Geo Pakistan,” he said, “Anything shared or liked on social media in Pakistan or the UAE can affect your visa application. Even if you share or like something positive or negative, it could lead to your visa being denied or your application being banned.”

“The Gulf nation has warned Pakistani expats living there not to spread negative information about the country, its institutions, or its politicians. Many Pakistanis have been arrested, and five of them have been sentenced to 14 to 15 years in prison,” said Dr. Bakheet.

He said, “The UAE government wants people to leave their home country’s issues and politics behind when they come to the UAE. They’ve been trying to make the Pakistani community aware of this. The UAE checks visa applicants’ social media activity and advises people to be careful about what they post online, as it can affect their visa chances.”

When asked if social media accounts like Instagram, Facebook, and X could affect visa approvals, he confirmed they could. He warned people not to speak negatively about their home country or discuss topics that might cause trouble in the UAE.

When asked about a set number of visas, the consul general said, “There wasn’t a fixed quota. The Gulf country had given out 70,000 work visas to Pakistanis in the past year and a half.”

He also mentioned that the Pakistani business community is getting support in the UAE. He praised the work of Pakistani expats in construction and encouraged Pakistani youth to focus on IT and AI, as there are many job opportunities in these areas in the UAE.

Last month, Secretary Overseas Pakistanis, Dr Arshad told the Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis that many countries have issues with Pakistanis. He highlighted that the Pakistani community is known for having a poor work ethic and that they are linked to 50 per cent of all crime in the UAE.