UAE, Pakistan agree on ‘pre-immigration clearance’ to speed up travel for millions of passengers
Karachi to host first phase before wider rollout
DUBAI/ISLAMABAD – The United Arab Emirates and Pakistan have agreed to move ahead with a new pre-immigration clearance system designed to simplify travel for Pakistani nationals flying to the UAE.
According to a statement from Pakistani government, the agreement was confirmed during high-level talks in Islamabad between Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and a UAE delegation led by Ahmed bin Lahij Al Falasi, Director General of Customs and Port Security. Both sides agreed that a formal pact would be signed to establish the framework for the new system, the statement added.
The UAE delegation to Islamabad included senior officials such as Executive Director for Digital Transformation Juma Abdullah Al-Qabi and Executive Director for Airports Hammad Saif Al-Mashghouni, highlighting the focus on both technology and airport operations as the project moves forward.
Formal pact
According to Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior, the agreement will be known as a “pre-immigration clearance” arrangement. Under this framework, travellers will complete immigration and related formalities in Pakistan itself before boarding their flights to the UAE.
Mohsin Naqvi said the measure is designed to make travel easier and save time for passengers. He added that the initiative would also improve the overall travel experience for those flying between the two countries. UAE officials attending the meeting described the project as beneficial for people on both sides and confirmed their readiness to cooperate on its rollout.
Karachi pilot
The pilot phase will be launched in Karachi, which handles one of Pakistan’s largest volumes of international traffic. Technical and administrative work is now under way to finalise how the system will operate at the airport.
Once the Karachi pilot is in place, authorities from both countries will continue coordinating to ensure that the framework meets operational and security requirements. Following a successful launch, the system is expected to be gradually expanded to other locations in Pakistan.
UAE-Pakistan travel
The new clearance system comes against the backdrop of strong people-to-people ties between Pakistan and the UAE.
More than 1.7 million Pakistani nationals live and work in the UAE, mainly in Dubai and the Northern Emirates. In addition, large numbers of Pakistanis travel to the UAE each year for tourism, business and family visits.