The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has intensified security measures amid heightened regional tensions, leading to stricter scrutiny of visa renewals and documentation, according to reports. Even minor discrepancies in papers are said to be triggering immediate cancellations.
Authorities are also closely monitoring social media activity by residents, particularly posts related to home-country political issues or content viewed as against UAE security. Those found violating the rules are reportedly facing automatic visa cancellations.
In this backdrop, the UAE has cancelled visas of about 5,000 Bangladeshi nationals. The report adds that since the start of 2026, the UAE has temporarily halted issuing new tourist and employment visas for citizens of Bangladesh and eight other countries.
Ministry sources cited in the report said the cancellations affected workers and businesspeople who had travelled on leave, leaving many unable to return to the UAE. With no prior notice or explanation, affected expatriates fear loss of livelihood, while the Bangladesh government has taken up the matter through diplomatic channels seeking restoration of visas.
The report notes that a large Bangladeshi community—around 1.2 million—lives in the UAE, and many families back home depend on remittances. The UAE is described as one of Bangladesh’s biggest sources of overseas remittance inflows.
