Did UAE Suspend Tourist, Work Visas For Bangladesh? Envoy Responds

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has not imposed any visa restrictions on Bangladeshi nationals, a senior Bangladesh official confirmed, dismissing social media reports as false, according to Khaleej Times. Tareq Ahmed, Bangladesh's Ambassador to the UAE, stated that no official directive has been issued by UAE authorities regarding any tourist or work visa ban.

Several online platforms had reported that the UAE had suspended visa issuance for citizens of certain countries, including Bangladesh. However, these claims lacked confirmation from any UAE government source, as per the news portal.

Speaking to the Bangladeshi daily newspaper Business Standard, Tareq Ahmed said that "so far, neither our embassy nor the consulate has received any information from the UAE government regarding such a ban." 

Md Rashedujjaman, the Consul-General of Bangladesh in Dubai and Northern Emirates, estimated the Bangladeshi population in the UAE to be around one million. Global Media Insight places this figure at approximately 0.84 million, making Bangladeshis the third-largest expatriate group in the country, after Indians and Pakistanis.

In a recent interview with Khaleej Times, Rashedujjaman mentioned ongoing talks with the UAE government to ease visa processes for Bangladeshi nationals, expressing hope for deeper integration into the UAE's growth story.

What Was the Unverified News About the UAE Visa Ban?

The news that is floating on social media is that the UAE has temporarily suspended new visa applications from nine countries, including Bangladesh, Libya, Yemen, Somalia, Lebanon, Cameroon, Sudan, and Uganda. Starting from 2026, residents of these countries will be prohibited from applying for tourist visas and work permits, with no specified timeline for review or potential changes to this policy. However, there is no official confirmation of this report.