Pakistan, Saudi sign agreement to abolish visa requirements for holders of official, diplomatic passports

Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have signed an agreement to do away with visa requirements for holders of diplomatic, official and special passports, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar announced on Tuesday. The pact was signed during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, where the two nations' leaders met off the record.

Dar expressed optimism that the move would "further facilitate high-level engagement and institutional exchanges, and contribute to advancing our enduring and brotherly strategic partnership across all areas of mutual interest". The two countries have a strong bilateral relationship, with frequent high-level diplomatic exchanges between them.

Earlier this year, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a joint defence agreement with Turkey, vowing to bolster collective security, enhance defense cooperation and promote peace and stability in the region and beyond. In the same month, the two nations agreed to increase Pakistani agricultural and food exports to the Gulf state to a value of $3 billion.

The agreement was inked during a visit to New York by a Saudi delegation led by Environment, Water and Agriculture Minister Engineer Abdulrahman Al-Fadley. In July, Saudi Arabia introduced a multiple-entry Umrah visa valid for a year, allowing pilgrims to visit the kingdom multiple times with a total stay of up to 90 days per year.

In 2024, Riyadh further eased visa restrictions for Pakistani travelers, permitting them to submit a bank statement showing a minimum monthly credit of $750 or its equivalent to obtain a visa.