Pakistani Couple Denied Entry to Georgia

A Pakistani couple, Zara and her husband, were denied entry to Georgia despite having all necessary documents and sufficient funds. The couple were carrying $1,000 in cash each to avoid being refused entry due to insufficient funds.

The couple's experience is not an isolated incident. According to authorities, around 10-12 people, particularly Pakistani and Indian passport holders, are sent back on every flight from Georgia. This highlights the challenges faced by holders of these passports, which are often subject to stricter scrutiny.

The Pakistani passport is ranked 95th on the World Passport Index, making it one of the lowest-ranked travel documents worldwide. Despite this, Georgia offers visa on arrival for green passport holders, which made the couple's denial of entry all the more surprising.

After being denied entry, the couple was taken to a small room with an uncanny resemblance to a detention area. Their mobile phones were confiscated while they waited for the next flight. They were lucky to catch the next flight to Dubai within five hours of being denied entry.

## Why it matters The challenges faced by Pakistani passport holders are a result of the country's low ranking on the World Passport Index. This ranking is based on the number of countries that a passport holder can visit without a visa or with a visa on arrival. The low ranking of the Pakistani passport makes it difficult for its holders to travel abroad, and incidents like the one experienced by Zara and her husband are becoming increasingly common.

The experience of Zara and her husband serves as a reminder of the difficulties faced by people traveling with a weak passport. The anxiety and uncertainty of not knowing whether they will be allowed to enter a country can be overwhelming, and the consequences of being denied entry can be severe. As the couple found out, being prepared and having all necessary documents is not always enough to guarantee entry into a country.