Dubai ends 90-day visit visa for Pakistanis, Filipinos

Dubai June 2 (IANS) Dubai s immigration authorities have discontinued the three-month visit visa for Pakistanis and Filipinos for the next three months media reported.

The immigration authorities in Dubai circulated a memo ordering all travel agencies to stop accepting 90-day visa applications filed by citizens of Pakistan and the Philippines.

We have been directed to refuse applications for the three-month visa starting June 1 Noor Mohammad a local travel agent told Dawn on Friday.

However those who had submitted their application before June 1 would be processed.

Mohammad added that this is not the first time the Emirati government has banned such visas. In the past similar restrictions were placed on travel to the country particularly during Ramadan he said.

News outlet ProPakistani reported that Pakistanis can still apply for 14-and 30-day visas for the emirate and added that those travellers who already hold a 90-day visa need not worry about the ban.

ProPakistani quoted a Dubai-based travel agency as saying We are not sure whether this is a temporary or permanent stop. As of now we have been instructed not to accept applications.

There is a possibility that we process the applications through an other Emirate but will definitely have higher restrictions and would be more costly the travel agency said.

--IANS
soni/vt