An important update has come for foreign citizens trapped between Iran and regional tensions in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The UAE Federal Authority (ICP) has decided to waive visa overstay fees due to the closure of airspace and travel difficulties. This decision will benefit those Pakistanis and other expatriates who were not able to return on time due to flight delays or war situation. Along with this, the UAE government has also given time to the stranded people to return.
What changes have been made to the visa rules?
The UAE government has announced several temporary relief plans in view of regional tensions during March 2026. The biggest change in this is for those people whose residence visa expired at the end of February. The government’s focus is on those passengers who are stuck in trouble through no fault of their own.
28 February 2026 Migrants with residence visas that expired after March 31 have been allowed to return. Visa overstay penalty has been waived for passengers stranded due to closure of airports. There are reports of some Pakistani citizens getting unexpected relief from long pending visa related work due to Iran conflict. ICP has clarified that this step has been taken to minimize the current travel disruption. According to Pakistani officials, an agreement has also been reached on the movement of ships by sea route.
What effect is regional tension having on migrants?
The effect of the increasing tension between Iran and America-Israel is visible in different ways on the citizens of different countries living in UAE. While on one hand there are reports of Pakistanis getting some visa relief, on the other hand some strict policies are also being discussed. The situation can be understood in the table given below:
Category Important Updates
Pakistani citizen
There has been relief in visa fees and exemption from refund amid travel disruption.
Iranian citizen
Some reports say that residence permits of Iranians have been cancelled.
official stance
ICP has announced relaxation in travel only on humanitarian and technical grounds.
Safety and rules
Amidst the growing controversy, there are reports of new strictness in visa and residence policies.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said that Iran has agreed to allow additional Pakistani ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. This will provide relief to those people who are involved in sea route related work. The UAE government is monitoring the situation and may announce new policies from time to time for security reasons. Common migrants have been advised to get information only from official ICP portals.
