Pakistan changes visa issuance policy for all foreigners amid Middles East conflict

2026-03-14 - 04:54

ISLAMABAD – The Government of Pakistan has changed visa policy requiring all foreign nationals to apply via embassies only. The Ministry of Interior announced that visas on arrival and pre-arrival visas will no longer be available. It added that all Pakistani visas must be obtained exclusively through the country’s embassies or diplomatic missions abroad. The change has been implemented due to security considerations. Officials explained that the visa application process will now be entirely managed through diplomatic channels. Foreign nationals can submit applications via the existing online portal, after which the requests will be sent to the relevant embassy for review. Visas will only be granted once the embassy has completed its clearance process. The development comes amid escalating US-Israel war against Iran that has sparked evacuation from Gulf countries as they are facing strikes being launched by Tehran to hit US targets. In latest development, US Central Command (Centcom) has announced the joining of the B-2 bomber aircrafts in the ongoing US-Israel ware against Iran while the Tehran has pledged to continue the counterstrikes. “B-2 stealth bombers takeoff to conduct a mission during Operation Epic Fury, delivering long-range fire to not only eliminate the threat from the Iranian regime today, but also eliminate their ability to rebuild in the future,” Centcom said in a statement on X where it also shared a video of the B-2 bombers. US President Donald Trump has warned that Iran’s Kharg Island oil facilities could be targeted if Tehran continued assaults on shipping in the strategic Strait of Hormuz.