Pakistan, UAE to sign 'pre-immigration clearance' pact to facilitate passengers

• Initiative to allow passengers to complete clearance in Pakistan.
• Will enable them to exit airport directly like domestic passengers.
• New process to save time improve passengers' experience: Naqvi.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have agreed to sign a "pre-immigration clearance" agreement, allowing UAE-bound travellers to complete clearance in Pakistan and exit the airport directly, similar to domestic passengers in the Gulf nation.

The development came during a meeting between Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and a UAE delegation led by Director General of Customs Al Dara Border Crossing Ahmed Abdullah Bin Lahej Al Falasi.

The new immigration system will be launched initially on a pilot basis, and it will be implemented in Karachi in the first phase.

Once implemented, passengers will not need to go through the lengthy immigration process, the minister added, pointing out that not only will travelling become convenient, but the new process will save considerable time and improve passengers' overall experience.

Once the pilot project turns out to be successful, the immigration system will be gradually expanded to more locations, according to the official statement.

The initiative comes against the backdrop of the offloading of passengers owing to improper, incomplete documentation in recent months, in light of stern measures implemented by the authorities to curb human trafficking and illegal travel abroad.

Last week, Naqvi had directed authorities concerned to enforce strict screening of passengers' travel documents at all airports across the country and had ordered the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA)  to ensure the effective implementation of immigration laws and strengthen airport immigration systems along with rigorous screening of travellers' documents.

Earlier this month, the government also launched "Pre-Departure Facilitation Desks" for assisting passengers travelling abroad.

The desks, as per the interior minister, will provide guidance and assistance to international travellers on immigration procedures and clearances, ensuring a smoother and more hassle-free travel experience.

The desks are accessible in person and also via helplines and email, and relevant details are available at airports, border points and on the FIA website.

The measures are to be taken in the context of a large number of Pakistanis travelling abroad, where the data released by the Bureau of Immigration, as reported by The News, shows that more than 727,000 Pakistanis migrated overseas for employment in 2025.

The figures reveal that the exodus spans all skill levels. Over 400,000 unskilled and more than 200,000 skilled workers secured jobs abroad in 2025, underscoring the scale of labour migration. Saudi Arabia remained the top destination by a wide margin, absorbing the bulk of Pakistani workers.

Overall, the breakdown shows 222,171 skilled, 42,257 semi-skilled and 466,062 unskilled workers leaving the country in 2025. In terms of destinations, Saudi Arabia accounted for more than 530,000 workers, followed by Qatar (68,376), the UAE (52,664) and Bahrain (37,726). Smaller numbers headed to Kuwait, the United States, the UK, Germany, Italy, China, Japan and Romania, while only a handful migrated to countries such as South Korea.