Sudan-bound diplomats skip visas under Pakistan deal; ordinary passports not covered

Pakistan and Sudan have signed an agreement allowing holders of diplomatic and official passports to travel between the two countries without obtaining visas. The deal was formalised in Islamabad on 7 November 2026 by Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and his Sudanese counterpart, Lieutenant General Babiker Samra Mustafa Ali.

Key facts

• Signed: 7 November 2026, in Islamabad
• Who is covered: holders of diplomatic and official passports from both countries
• What changes: no visa required to travel between Pakistan and Sudan
• Not covered: ordinary passport holders
• Start date: not announced

What is changing?

Under the agreement, travellers holding diplomatic or official passports issued by Pakistan or Sudan can enter the other country without first obtaining a visa. The arrangement applies in both directions.

The source does not state when the agreement takes effect, how long visa-free stays may last, or what other entry conditions apply. No start date has been announced.

Who is affected?

The exemption is limited to government officials and diplomats travelling on official or diplomatic passports. Ordinary passport holders — including tourists and business travellers — are not covered by the agreement and are not mentioned as benefiting from it.

Why is this happening?

Naqvi described the agreement as an important milestone in bilateral relations between Pakistan and Sudan, saying "the facility would further facilitate high-level contacts between the two countries." The Sudanese interior minister said the agreement would help strengthen friendly relations and promote institutional cooperation between the two countries.

Which other countries has Pakistan signed similar deals with?

Pakistan has concluded comparable arrangements with several countries in recent years. It signed an agreement with Italy in June this year abolishing visa requirements for diplomatic passport holders, and one with Somalia in January waiving visa requirements for diplomatic passport holders.

In July last year, Pakistan and Bangladesh agreed to allow holders of diplomatic and official passports to enter each other's countries without visas. Pakistan also signed a similar arrangement with the United Arab Emirates in June 2025, granting visa exemptions to holders of diplomatic and official passports; that agreement came into effect on 25 July 2025. In April 2025, Pakistan and Hungary signed an agreement abolishing visa requirements for diplomatic passport holders.

What this means for travellers

Travellers holding Pakistani or Sudanese diplomatic or official passports can expect visa-free travel between the two countries once the agreement is in force. Anyone planning to travel on one of these passports should confirm the effective date and any stay limits, as the source does not specify them.

Ordinary passport holders should continue to check the current visa requirements for travel between Pakistan and Sudan, since the new agreement does not change their position.