Barely 24 hours after the United States announced sweeping visa restrictions for Nigerian nonimmigrant travellers, the United Arab Emirates has followed with a sharp escalation of its own immigration policy.
- The UAE introduced new restrictions on visa application policies for Nigerian citizens, affecting transit and tourist visas.
- This policy shift occurs following U.S. visa restrictions that limited Nigerian nonimmigrant visas to single entry and three-month validity.
- These moves have drastically narrowed travel options for Nigerian citizens, with significant implications for tourism and business travel.
In a notice sent to travel agents on Tuesday, Dubai immigration authorities confirmed that all transit visa applications from Nigerian nationals will no longer be processed, effectively shutting down a key travel route frequently used by Nigerians connecting through the UAE.
The directive, as per Nigeria’s Daily Trust, also introduced new eligibility requirements for tourist visa applicants.
“For Nigerian nationals, please bear in mind that an applicant aged 18 to 45 years travelling alone is not eligible for TOURIST VISA CATEGORY.”
Additionally, stricter financial documentation is now required for older applicants.
“An applicant who is 45yrs or above must provide a Single Nigerian personal bank statement for a period of last six months, with each month’s end balance reflecting a minimum ending balance of USD 10,000 or its naira equivalent.”
The notification further emphasized:
“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 new policy takes immediate effect and is being seen as part of a wider shift among Gulf and Western countries toward tighter immigration control, particularly in response to perceived irregularities involving travellers from Africa.
Nigerian travellers face twin travel restrictions
This comes just a year after the UAE and Nigeria resolved a two-year visa ban placed on Nigerian nationals.
Prior to this, Nigeria had been entangled in multiple travel disputes with the UAE, marked by a series of restrictions.
One of the most significant occurred on 13 December 2021, when the Emirates imposed a travel ban on passengers from Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo, citing a surge in COVID-19 cases among travelers from both countries.
The Nigerian government later announced the lifting of that ban in 2024.
Just about 24 hours earlier, the U.S. State Department announced new visa restrictions limiting most Nigerian nonimmigrant visas to single entry and a three-month validity.
Taken together, the U.S. and UAE decisions have significantly narrowed mobility options for Nigerian travellers. Both governments have cited reciprocity and immigration integrity as key reasons for the policy changes.
Analysts suggest the near-simultaneous timing of the restrictions from Washington and Abu Dhabi may reflect broader coordination or, at the very least, a shared frustration with Nigeria’s passport and border management systems.
For millions of Nigerians hoping to travel for business, education, or tourism, the impact is both immediate and far-reaching.
