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UAE visa for Pakistani citizens: sponsored routes, documents and official channels

What the official ICP, GDRFA Dubai and airline pages state for Pakistani passport holders: no visa-on-arrival statement was found, so entry runs through a tourist visa or a resident-sponsored visit visa; the national ID card requirement; the salary tiers a sponsor must meet; and the official channels.

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Checked against official UAE sources · re-reviewed every 30 days

The short answer

We found no official statement granting Pakistani nationals a visa on arrival, and Pakistan does not appear on the airline-published visa-on-arrival lists, so a Pakistani passport holder should plan on a pre-arranged visa: a tourist visa through an airline, hotel or accredited tourism office, or a visit visa sponsored by a UAE resident relative or friend who meets the ICP salary tiers. One document rule is specific: GDRFA Dubai's tourist and visit cards require a copy of the national identity card for nationals of Pakistan, Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan.

Key facts

Visa on arrival
No official statement found; Pakistan is not on the airline-published lists read on 4 September 2026 (NOT STATED as a Pakistan-specific rule)
National ID copy
Required for nationals of Iraq, Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan on GDRFA Dubai tourist and relative/friend cards; Emirates lists 'Pakistan | National ID Card'
Passport
Valid at least 6 months from entry (u.ae)
Tourist visa
30 or 60 days single entry through a tourism establishment; Dubai government fee AED 252 / AED 352 plus VAT
Resident-sponsored visit
30, 60 or 90 days; sponsor salary AED 4,000 (first degree), AED 8,000 (second/third degree), AED 15,000 (friend) (ICP)
Self-sponsored options open to all nationalities
5-year multiple-entry tourist visa; jobseeker visa; business-exploration visa (u.ae)

What is stated and what is not

Pakistani travellers are often told different things about UAE visas. This page separates what the official pages say from what they do not.

Checked 4 September 2026 against u.ae, ICP, GDRFA Dubai and the airline channel pages.
QuestionWhat the official pages stateStatus
Is there a visa on arrival for Pakistani passports?No page we read states one. u.ae does not publish the country list; the Emirates and flydubai lists do not include Pakistan; flydubai says all other countries need pre-arranged visas.NOT STATED; treat as not eligible unless ICP confirms
Which documents are specific to Pakistani nationals?GDRFA Dubai tourist and relative/friend cards: 'Identity card for the country of origin for some nationalities (Iraq - Pakistan - Iran - Afghanistan)'. Emirates: 'Pakistan | National ID Card'. MOHRE work-permit documents also list the national ID.VERIFIED
Can a Pakistani national use the Indian-style 14/60-day entry visa?The ICP release of 25 June 2026 lists India, Indonesia, Viet Nam, Thailand, the Philippines, Kenya and South Africa. Pakistan is not listed.Not included
Are the self-sponsored visas open to Pakistani nationals?u.ae says the 5-year tourist visa 'can be issued for all nationalities'; the jobseeker and business-exploration pages state no nationality restriction.VERIFIED (no restriction stated)
Is there a Pakistan-specific fee or deposit?None on the ICP or GDRFA cards read. Emirates' ticket-office deposits are by relationship, not nationality.NOT STATED

The routes that apply

Tourist visa. u.ae: "A tourist visa is for those who are not eligible for visa on arrival or a visa-free entry", obtained "through airlines, hotels and travel agents"; "the UAE's embassies do not issue tourist visas." In Dubai the sponsor must be an establishment working in tourism and the government fee is AED 252 for 30 days or AED 352 for 60 days plus VAT, with no security deposit.

Visit visa sponsored by a resident relative or friend. A UAE resident files for you if their monthly salary meets the ICP tier: AED 4,000 for a spouse, parent or child; AED 8,000 for siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, uncles, aunts and cousins; AED 15,000 for a friend. The permit is for 30, 60 or 90 days and can be extended within a 180-day total. GDRFA Dubai fees are AED 200, 300 or 400 plus VAT with a AED 1,000 deposit.

Self-sponsored visas. The 5-year multiple-entry tourist visa (USD 4,000 bank balance over six months, 180-day insurance, onward ticket), the jobseeker visit visa (MOHRE skill level 1–3 or a top-500 university graduate within two years, bachelor's degree, guarantee) and the visit visa to explore investment opportunities (solvency, talent or high qualification, guarantee). None of these pages states a nationality exclusion.

GCC residents. A Pakistani national who holds a GCC residence permit valid for at least one year, in a profession on the approved list, can apply online for the GCC-resident entry permit before travel: 30 days, extendable once.

Documents and who issues them

The official UAE pages name the document; the 'issued by' column describes the type of issuing body and is not itself a UAE requirement.
DocumentIssued byWhich route
Passport valid at least six monthsPakistan's passport authorityAll
Copy of the national identity card (CNIC)Pakistan's national identity card authorityTourist and visit visas (GDRFA Dubai card); Emirates channel
PhotographYouAll
Valid UAE health insuranceInsurer; GDRFA Dubai lists AED 40 / 60 / 90 by duration for relative/friend visitsAll pre-arranged permits (ICP condition)
Return or onward ticketAirlineTourist visas; 5-year tourist visa
Marriage certificate or birth certificate proving kinshipThe Pakistani civil registration authority that issued it; attestation as the UAE authority requiresRelative visit, by degree
Sponsor's salary certificate or employment or partnership contractSponsor's UAE employer or companyRelative and friend visits
Bank statement showing USD 4,000 over six monthsYour bank5-year tourist visa
Attested degree certificateAwarding university, attestedJobseeker visit visa
GCC residence permit copyIssuing GCC stateGCC-resident entry permit

How a sponsored application runs

  1. Identify the sponsor: a tourism establishment or airline for a tourist visa; a resident relative or friend for a visit visa.
  2. Sponsor checks the authority: GDRFA Dubai for Dubai; ICP for the other six emirates.
  3. Gather documents, including the national ID copy, and confirm the passport has six months' validity on the planned entry date.
  4. Sponsor files and pays the fee and the refundable guarantee through ICP smart services, the ICP app, GDRFA online, Dubai Now, an Amer centre or a typing centre.
  5. Permit issued (cards state 48 hours at GDRFA Dubai and 2 days at ICP); enter within 60 days of issue.
  6. Extend if needed through the issuing authority, within the cap for the permit type.

Official channels

Applications go through ICP (website and UAEICP app, UAE Pass login) or GDRFA Dubai (website, Dubai Now, Amer centres), or through the airline you fly with. Emirates issues visas online for itineraries entirely on Emirates tickets with VFS processing fees; flydubai processes through its travel shops. The ICP call centre is 600522222; GDRFA Dubai is 800 5111 inside the UAE and +971 4 313 9999 from abroad. u.ae states that UAE embassies do not issue tourist visas.

Immigration UAE is an independent private immigration and business services platform and is not affiliated with the Government of the UAE, ICP, GDRFA, MOHRE or any UAE government authority.

What people get wrong

  • Travelling on a rumour of visa on arrival. No official page we read states one for Pakistani passports; arrange the visa before you fly.
  • Leaving the CNIC at home. The GDRFA Dubai cards require a copy of the national ID for Pakistani nationals; have it ready at application.
  • Asking a friend on a low salary to sponsor. The friend tier is AED 15,000 per month on the ICP card; a first-degree relative needs AED 4,000.
  • Assuming an agency price is the government fee. The GDRFA Dubai tourist card lists AED 252 or AED 352 plus VAT; anything above that is the channel's handling.
  • Overstaying while waiting for a job. The fine is AED 50 per day; the jobseeker visa exists for that purpose with its own conditions.

Next step

Tell us who could sponsor you, or whether you meet a self-sponsored category, and we will set out the documents in the order the authority will ask. For business or residence plans, continue to Moving to the UAE from Pakistan.

Any "starting from" figure is an indicative price for our service and excludes government and third-party fees, which vary by activity, visa count and jurisdiction. Government fees shown are official charges from the cited pages at the review date. Your exact, itemised quote is confirmed free of charge in a consultation, with nothing hidden.

Frequently asked questions

Do Pakistani citizens get a UAE visa on arrival?

We found no official statement granting one, and Pakistan is not on the airline-published lists we read. Plan on a pre-arranged tourist or sponsored visit visa unless ICP confirms otherwise.

What is the CNIC requirement?

GDRFA Dubai's tourist and relative/friend cards list an identity card for the country of origin for nationals of Iraq, Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan. Emirates' page lists a national ID card for Pakistan. Carry a clear copy.

Can my brother in Dubai sponsor my visit?

Siblings are second-degree relatives on the ICP card, which requires the sponsor to earn at least AED 8,000 per month with proof of kinship.

How much is a Dubai tourist visa for a Pakistani citizen?

The government fee on the GDRFA Dubai card is the same for all nationalities: AED 252 for 30 days or AED 352 for 60 days plus 5% VAT. Airline, hotel and agency prices include their handling and are not stated officially.

Can Pakistani nationals apply for the 5-year multiple-entry tourist visa?

u.ae says the visa can be issued for all nationalities and states no exclusion. The requirements are a USD 4,000 bank balance over six months, 180-day insurance and an onward ticket.

Can I look for a job in the UAE on a visit visa?

The jobseeker visit visa exists for this: 60, 90 or 120 days, no sponsor, for MOHRE skill levels 1–3 or recent graduates of the top 500 universities, with a bachelor's degree and a financial guarantee.

Official sources and review

The rules on this page were checked against the official pages below. We re-check every 30 days and after any announced change.

Last reviewed

Government fees, thresholds and processing times change without notice. Where an official page does not state a figure, we say so rather than estimate. Nothing here is legal advice or a decision of any UAE authority.

Immigration UAE is a brand of Cosmos Immigration, a private immigration and business-services consultancy. It is not affiliated with the Government of the UAE, ICP, GDRFA, MOHRE or any UAE government authority.

Plan a sponsored visit from Pakistan

Tell us who could sponsor you, or which self-sponsored category you might meet. We will set out the documents in the order the authority asks for them.

Ask about a visa from PakistanWhatsApp us

No private firm can guarantee the outcome of a UAE visa, residency or licensing application. Decisions rest solely with the relevant UAE authority.