The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has introduced fresh travel restrictions for Nigerians planning to visit Dubai, including a complete ban on transit visa applications, according to a directive issued to travel agents on Tuesday.
Under the new regulations, Nigerian citizens aged between 18 and 45 years can no longer obtain tourist visas unless they are accompanied by someone else. This represents a significant tightening of entry requirements for young Nigerian travelers.
For Nigerians aged 45 and above, the UAE now requires proof of financial stability through a personal Nigerian bank statement covering the previous six months. The statement must show a minimum balance of USD 10,000 or its Naira equivalent at the end of each month.
Travel agents have advised prospective Nigerian travelers to consider these new requirements carefully before proceeding with their visa applications and submitting other standard documents such as hotel reservations and passport data pages.
This development comes just one year after Nigeria and the UAE resolved a two-year diplomatic impasse that had resulted in a visa ban for Nigerian citizens. The previous restrictions had significantly affected business travelers, tourists, and Nigerians with family connections in the UAE.
The UAE has not officially stated the reasons behind these new restrictions, but they appear to be part of broader efforts to regulate immigration and tourism from specific countries.
Nigerian authorities have yet to issue an official response to these new travel conditions, which could potentially affect thousands of Nigerians who regularly travel to Dubai for business, tourism, and shopping.
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