The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has released updated guidelines for the issuance of visa notices, according to an official announcement on August 14, 2024.
The new guidelines were issued by Foreign Secretary Cyrus Sajjad Qazi following the approval of Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar. These guidelines pertain to the issuance of initial “Note Verbales” for diplomatic and official passport holders intending to undertake private visits, as per formal requests from the Senate and National Assembly.
Under these guidelines, diplomatic and official passport holders traveling for private purposes will receive preliminary visa notices, while a formal agreement will be required for family members. This agreement mandates that the travelers will neither seek asylum nor misuse the initial communication in the country of their visit.
This update comes in light of a recent case involving Haider Ali, the Joint Secretary of the Senate, who had obtained an initial letter for his family to attend the IPU Assembly meeting held in March. The request for the letter was made by the Senate Secretariat on behalf of Haider Ali’s family. However, it was later revealed that his family sought asylum in a Western European country.
The new guidelines are intended to prevent similar incidents and ensure the proper use of diplomatic privileges.
