Pakistan Expands Business Visa Access to 69 Countries in Major Policy Overhaul
Updated: 3 minutes ago
ISLAMABAD, September 13, 2026 — Pakistan has widened its business visa eligibility to 69 nations and carried out a far-reaching restructuring of its entry categories, according to an internal review prepared by the Ministry of Interior.
The review, which has circulated among senior officials this month, sets out how Pakistan now divides foreign travellers across three distinct visa tracks — business, tourist and grant — while also confirming that dozens of long-standing reciprocal visa arrangements have been scrapped.
The Three Visa Tracks
The most consequential change is the size of the business visa list, which now covers 69 countries. The group spans every major economy Pakistan trades with, from the United States, United Kingdom, Germany and France to China, Japan, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Turkey. Several Central Asian states — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan — are also included, reflecting Islamabad's push to deepen links along the belt-and-road corridor.
The tourist track is considerably narrower, covering 24 countries. Canada, France, Italy, China, Malaysia, Denmark and Jersey are among those named. Under the revised structure, approved tour operators carry responsibility for visitors arriving from these markets.
A third category — the grant visa — covers 15 countries. Bangladesh, India, Israel, Nigeria, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen are specifically identified in this group, which is treated separately from the business and tourist tracks.
36 Reciprocal Agreements Scrapped
Perhaps the least publicised element of the review is the termination of 36 reciprocal visa agreements. These break down as follows:
Agreement Type | Countries Affected |
Diplomatic passports | 9 |
Official passports | 19 |
National passports | 8 |
Total | 36 |
The cancellations mark one of the largest single consolidations of Pakistan's bilateral visa commitments in recent years, and effectively removes preferential treatment previously extended to holders of certain passport types from those countries.
Entry Rules for Business Travellers
Business visitors from the 69 listed countries may qualify for a visa on arrival valid for 30 days, subject to documentation. Accepted supporting papers include:
A recommendation letter from the relevant chamber of commerce and industry abroad
An invitation from a Pakistani business organisation, endorsed by a recognised local trade body
A recommendation from an honorary investment counsellor at the Board of Investment, or from a commercial attaché at a Pakistani mission overseas
Wider Context: VPA Programme Suspension
These changes follow the quiet suspension of Pakistan's Visa Prior to Arrival (VPA) scheme for 126 nationalities, which took effect on 1 January 2026. The programme had been launched in mid-2024 but vanished from the official visa portal without a public announcement, signalling a shift toward a more structured, fee-based e-Visa model.
The review also lists 16 countries with which Pakistan maintains dual citizenship arrangements.
Summary Table
Category | Countries Covered |
Business visa | 69 |
Tourist visa | 24 |
Grant visa | 15 |
Dual citizenship | 16 |
Visa agreements terminated | 36 |
Read Also
Official Resources
Resource | Link |
Ministry of Interior – Pakistan | |
Directorate General of Immigration & Passports | |
Pakistan Online Visa System |
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