Qatar's travel curbs: Amid the ongoing conflict across the Middle East, Qatar has moved to tighten entry filters for select nationalities rather than imposing a blanket restriction.
Now, an advisory, issued by the Pakistani Embassy in Doha, signals stringent entry checks at a time when uncertainty is shaping travel rules across the Gulf.
Qatar halts visa-on-arrival for Pak nationals
Qatar has temporarily suspended the visa-on-arrival policy for Pakistani nationals, a Khaleejtimes report said, citing sources from the Embassy of Pakistan.
The announcement, made by the Pakistani Embassy in Doha on Tuesday, states that the suspension is due to the "prevailing situation" and urges travellers to plan ahead.
Embassy issues clear advisory
The Pakistani Embassy in Qatar made it clear that travellers should not rely on last-minute entry options for now.
"Pakistani nationals intending to travel to Qatar are advised that the visa-on-arrival facility is currently not available due to the prevailing situation. All Pakistani travellers to Qatar are advised to obtain appropriate visas prior to travel to avoid inconvenience," the Pakistani embassy in Qatar wrote on Tuesday.
Urgent trips now need paperwork
This temporary suspension is expected to hit those who depend on quick travel, business visitors, contractors,and short-term workers who often move across Gulf countries with little notice.
Visa-on-arrival had become a safety net for such travellers. With that gone, even urgent trips now need paperwork sorted in advance.
Similar caution to Lebanese nationals
Qatar has extended similar caution to Lebanese nationals. Travellers from Lebanon must now apply for visas online through the official Hayya platform before departure and carry printed approvals at the airport.
Authorities appear to be tightening entry filters across select nationalities rather than imposing a blanket restriction.
This comes at the heart of growing scrutiny of Pakistani travellers in the Gulf.
After Saudi Arabia deported 5,000 Pakistani nationals over organised begging concerns, the United Arab Emirates also tightened its visa approach. Reports suggest regular visa issuance has slowed, with priority given mainly to diplomatic or special categories.
What Pakistan told its lawmakers
Pakistan's own officials have acknowledged the situation is delicate.
Additional Interior Secretary Salman Chaudhry told a Senate panel that the UAE had not imposed a full ban but warned of the risks. He said that both the UAE and Saudi Arabia had "not gone as far as imposing a full ban" on Pakistani passports, and cautioned lawmakers that "if a ban is put in place, getting it lifted would be very difficult."
Committee chairperson Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri backed the concern. She said the restrictions followed repeated cases of misuse of visas, adding that Pakistanis were "getting involved in criminal activities," and only a limited number of visas were being approved "and even those after great difficulty."
(With inputs from ET)
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