Travel agents say UAE blocking new visas

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Journey companies in nations throughout the Center East and Africa say the United Arab Emirates has briefly halted issuing new visas to their residents, a so-far unexplained ban on guests amid each the coronavirus pandemic and the UAE’s normalization cope with Israel.

Confusion over the UAE visa ban concentrating on 11 Muslim-majority nations, along with Lebanon and Kenya, swirled after a leaked doc from Dubai’s state-owned airport free zone surfaced this week, declaring restrictions towards a variety of nationalities.

Emirati authorities haven’t acknowledged the suspension that comes because the UAE welcomes Israeli vacationers for the primary time in historical past, the coronavirus pandemic surges throughout the area and people trying to find work within the federation of seven sheikhdoms more and more overstay their vacationer visas amid a cascade of enterprise shutdowns and lay-offs.

Citing an order from the nation’s immigration authorities, the be aware to corporations working in Dubai’s airport free zone introduced a pause in issuing all new employment, lengthy and short-term go to visas “till additional discover” from nations together with Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Yemen, Syria, Libya, Iraq and Tunisia, with out providing a purpose. These already holding visas wouldn’t be affected, it mentioned.

The revelation has gripped social media feeds and information retailers worldwide, underscoring the UAE’s international standing as magnet for expat employees and guests who outnumber locals almost 9 to 1 within the nation.

When requested by The Related Press concerning the order, the nation’s immigration division mentioned it is “not conscious of any formal checklist of nationalities requiring visa suspension.” Dubai’s airport free zone confirmed the veracity of the doc to the AP and mentioned it was ready for additional clarification from officers.

In the meantime, throughout the area, companies and authorities say their residents are forbidden from coming into the UAE.

Journey brokers in Pakistan mentioned the UAE has barred single males underneath the age of 50 from the nation, though these touring with household can nonetheless receive visas. Final week, Pakistan’s overseas workplace mentioned it had “learnt that the UAE has briefly suspended the issuance of recent go to visas” in a transfer “believed to be associated to the second wave of COVID-19.”

Bestways Journey firm south of Islamabad was skeptical. “With such particular age and gender limits, clearly this has nothing to do with the coronavirus,” agent Jamchit Agha mentioned. He mentioned it was extra doubtless tied to safety considerations, or fears about younger males overstaying visas to search out jobs in Dubai, the area’s monetary hub. Dubai depends on thousands and thousands of low-paid expat employees from Southeast Asia.