FO tables new visa guidelines for NA, Senate staffers

Foreign office on Thursday issued new guidelines for Pakistanis after an upwards trend of political asylum application abroad.

The changes are tabled in the National Assembly and the Senate and will be immediately come into effect as soon as Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar gives it a green signal.

The secretary of Foreign Affairs has informed both the upper and lower houses about the decision.

Under the new policy, a restriction has been placed on issuing letters of introduction for visa applications of family members of NA and Senate Secretariat officers.

This move is expected is aimed to stop misuse of such documents in asylum applications.

Moreover, stricter regulations have been imposed to members of parliament (MPs) and their family members who hold private passports.

They will now only be able to obtain letters of introduction if they provide an affidavit, adding an extra layer of accountability to the process.

For those holding diplomatic and official passports, the issuance of the note verbale – an official diplomatic communication requesting visa facilitation – will now be subject to a formal application and letter.

The FO emphasised that policy guidelines for writing note verbales, introductory notes, and related letters will be strictly followed to prevent any potential abuse.