Pakistan to tighten visa regime with China
In order to regulate the process of issuing visas to Chinese nationals, the Ministry of Interior on 21st June decided to tighten the relaxed visa regime, especially for Chinese citizens visiting Pakistan on business or work-related visas.
Chinese nationals seeking business visas would have to present an invitation from a recognised body at any of Pakistan’s missions in China. The ministry has also decided to discourage long-term visa extensions for Chinese citizens.
The strict visa policy has been introduced not only to plug loopholes, but also to ensure maximum security to Chinese citizens visiting Pakistan on various visa categories. Under the new visa regime, security clearance for issuance of business and work visas will be reviewed.
The meeting also decided to regulate the process of granting extension to business visas. The powers of regional passport offices to grant visa extension would be immediately withdrawn, and in the future, all cases regarding a grant of extension to business visas would be dealt with at the IMPASS headquarters in Islamabad. The IMPASS DG would be authorised to grant a three-month visa extension, and cases involving further extension would be referred by the IMPASS directorate to the interior ministry.
The Chinese people in Pakistan comprise one of the country's significant expatriate communities. There were estimated to be 10,000 Chinese people living and working in Pakistan as of 2009. As of 2015, there were 8,112 Chinese workers in Pakistan. A further 7,000 Chinese professionals involved in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor are expected to join the existing nationals, raising the total population to 15,000.