The United Arab Emirates has stopped the issuance of visas to Nigerians. This is as all submitted applications will be rejected and fees non-refundable.
Although no official statement has been made by the UAE government, Destination Management Companies (DMCs) which is licensed to issue electronic visas to UAE announced in a statement that Dubai immigration has stopped approving visas for Nigerians at the moment.
The statement reads “All Previously submitted Applications are currently on hold. Kindly note this is beyond our control . We will update Once visas start getting Approved”.
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However, information obtained from a customer representative from Air Peace, revealed that the airline is still flying to Dubai with those who already have valid visas.
The representative added that if any changes were to occur as regards flight for Nigerians, it would be duly communicated, adding that no issue had been raised at the moment.
Before the total ban on the issuance of visas to Nigerians, the Government of UAE introduced a new visa regime as it stopped issuing tourist visas to Nigerians under the age of 40 years, except for those applying for family visas.
In September this year, a video was shared by some Nigerians held in a room at an airport in Dubai that went viral, which attracted the attention of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In the video, the affected Nigerians, numbering about 20, lamented that they’ve been ill-treated despite having valid travel documents.
Reacting to this, CEO of NIDCOM (Nigerians In Diaspora Commission) Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa disclosed on Twitter that most of the affected Nigerians deliberately tried to circumvent the Emirates rules that restrict visa issuance to a category of Nigerians.
The Nigerian Mission in Dubai however came out to clarify that most of the supposedly stranded Nigerians were issued with family visas, only to arrive in Dubai alone without any family members.
According to recent reports, the government of UAE had to take the decision to ban the issuance of visas to Nigerians due to cult clashes being perpetrated by Nigerians in the country as some Nigerians living in Dubai have been caught increasing violent acts linked to cultism.
Earlier this year, a viral video showed a group of Nigerian men vandalizing properties and attacking people with cutlasses. Under the law in UAE, anyone who does so violates article 52 of the UAE Federal Law No 34 of 2021.
At different times, the authorities issued cautionary statements to visitors and migrants to stop disorderly conduct and respect the laws.
It turned out that UAE’s hospitality was taken for granted as violent incidents involving Nigerians increased in certain parts of the country which necessitated the recent action from the UAE government.
Why is this written up as a ban on ‘Nigerians’? 19 other African countries are also affected