For diplomatic, security, and health reasons, the UAE has temporarily halted work and travel visas for nationals of Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen, Somalia, Lebanon, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Sudan, and Uganda.

In essence, a UAE visa is a document that serves as an official document for immigration purposes, where foreign nationals can enter the nation. Both workers and tourists can get employment and tourist visas.

In December 2020, the UAE government temporarily modified its visa regulations for some nations by prohibiting certain nationalities from entering the country for reasons it specified. Nine nations were prohibited from obtaining UAE visas, according to the most recent immigration circular.

For the time being, citizens of the following nine nations are not eligible to apply for UAE work or tourist visas. Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen, Somalia, Lebanon, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Sudan, and Uganda are now prohibited from submitting applications.

A few potential explanations include avoiding security risks to UAE citizens, such as terrorist attacks; political motivations, particularly in light of the shifting dynamics between the Gulf states and Israel; and health and safety issues, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and infection control initiatives.

The diplomatic ties between the UAE and some of the impacted nations have been strained as a result of the visa restrictions. For example, the UAE's limitations on issuing visas to Turkish citizens have caused a chilly relationship between the two countries. However, the foreign minister of Pakistan announced that fresh visa applications from 12 other nations, as well as Pakistan, had been temporarily halted. For Pakistani citizens in the UAE, this has caused problems, particularly concerning work visa renewals.

Other sources state that nations with a majority of Muslims will be impacted by the visa restriction. Some sources, however, are unclear about the rationale; some blame security concerns, while another segment contends that it is an issue of health regulations. Most significantly, this has no bearing on nationals of these nations who already have a valid UAE visa or even a work permit.