World Immigration News

Pakistan imposes travel restrictions on first-time flyers amid concerns over illegal immigration

Release Date: 2025-03-01
Media: The Tribune
Summary: Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has imposed travel restrictions on first-time travelers, particularly those around 35 years old from regions such as Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot, Mandi Bahauddin, and Jhelum. These restrictions apply to travel to specific countries, including Saudi Arabia, even for Umrah. The FIA is implementing strict profiling for passengers traveling to 15 countries, including Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Qatar, Azerbaijan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Egypt, Libya, Ethiopia, Senegal, Mauritania, and Kenya.

Travelers must provide a clear travel purpose, confirmed hotel bookings, and adequate financial resources. The FIA also requires those traveling for Umrah to have sufficient religious understanding. This follows incidents of boat tragedies in Libya, Greece, and Morocco/Mauritania involving individuals who traveled under Umrah visit visas, many of whom were aged 15 to 40 and came from specific regions in Pakistan. Immigration officials are thoroughly verifying documents and conducting interviews to confirm travel intentions and financial preparedness.

Additionally, a review of the Immigration Border Management System (IBMS) revealed a pattern of abuse of visit, tourist, and student visas, with individuals using these visas to enter transit countries for unauthorized journeys to Europe. The FIA flagged these 15 countries as common routes for illegal immigration.
Tags: Pakistan

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