Beneath the Stamp: Passports, Policies, and People

By Muhammad Ali Ozain 

Intern – GDAP Summer Program 2025

In a world increasingly defined by mobility and passport privilege, every visa stamp narrates a
story – of opportunity, escape, ambition, or reunion. A major takeaway from the Global Visa
Issuance data is that the United States of America remains the dominant destination, issuing over
45 million visas during this period (2013-22). Despite temporary dips during the COVID-19
years (2020-21), visa issuances rebounded sharply post-pandemic, especially for the U.S. and
Schengen states. Both these destinations are popular amongst Pakistanis, not only for holidays
but also because the USA is a major educational hub for higher education due to its numerous
universities. What is interesting is that since Donald Trump has taken the reins of the presidential
office, the USA immigration laws have become increasingly stringent, for tourists, job-seekers,
and students alike; therefore, a massive decline can be anticipated in visa issuance.

In terms of visa type, 65.79% across the various regions were provided for temporary residents.
This underscores the centrality of economic migration in global movement patterns. In
comparison, only 4.95% were issued as work visas – a figure lower than temporary residents and
family-sponsored visas, which account for 7.53%, highlighting that Pakistanis do not get job
opportunities easily abroad and instead have to work their way around the system to migrate
abroad.

For More Information:
https://galluppakistandigitalanalytics.com/global-visa-issuance-statistics/