UAE Suspends New Visas for citizens of 13 Countries

Abu Dhabi, MINA – The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has suspended new visas for citizens of 13 countries.

According to documents published by a state-owned business park, new work and visit visas have been suspended for citizens of 13 countries until further notice. Thus quoted from Ihram on Thursday.

The countries are Libya, Turkey, Somalia, Yemen, Iran, Algeria, Kenya, Iraq, Lebanon, Tunisia, Pakistan, Syria and Afghanistan.

The Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship in the UAE did not provide any clarification regarding the exception to the ban which took effect on 18 November 2020. According to a source close to the matter, the ban was imposed due to security concerns. However, the authorities did not clarify what the concerns were.

The ban comes a week after an explosive device exploded at a non-Muslim cemetery during a World War I memorial service in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The attack was allegedly linked to the UAE’s forging formal ties with Israel, an act that angered many Muslims.

Although the new relationship with Israel is causing tensions with some of the countries included in the list, sources confirm that it is not linked to the ban.

The authorities confirmed that the ban is expected to last only a short time and those who already have valid visas will not be affected and will still be able to enter the UAE. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)