The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has rolled out more stringent entry requirements for Nigerian travellers, including a complete suspension of transit visa applications.
Travel agents confirmed on Tuesday that Dubai immigration has issued a new directive significantly limiting visa eligibility for Nigerians.
Under the updated policy, Nigerian nationals aged 18 to 45 will no longer qualify for tourist visas if travelling alone. Only those accompanied by others may be considered.
Applicants aged 45 and above must now present a personal six-month bank statement with a monthly balance of at least $10,000 (or its naira equivalent) to be eligible for a tourist visa.
A circular issued to agents outlines the new terms, “For Nigerian nationals, please bear in mind that an applicant aged 18 to 45 years travelling alone is not eligible for the TOURIST VISA CATEGORY.
“An applicant who is 45 years or above must provide a Single Nigerian personal bank statement for a period of the last six months, with each month’s end balance reflecting a minimum ending balance of USD 10,000 or its naira equivalent.
“Kindly note that the above points must be taken into consideration before sending your applications with other existing documents such as hotel reservation, data page, etc,” the notification reads.
Travel industry insiders expect the restrictions to drastically reduce travel from Nigeria to Dubai—a leading destination for tourism and business.
