The United Arab Emirates has implemented fresh visa restrictions targeting Nigerian citizens, including a complete ban on transit visa applications, according to new directives issued to travel agents on Tuesday.
The latest measures impose significant age-based limitations on tourist visa eligibility. Nigerian nationals between the ages of 18 and 45 are now prohibited from obtaining tourist visas unless they are accompanied by eligible travelers. This restriction effectively bars solo travel for this demographic.
For Nigerians aged 45 and above, the new requirements include stringent financial documentation. Applicants must provide a single Nigerian personal bank statement covering the previous six months, with each month showing a minimum ending balance of USD 10,000 or its naira equivalent.
Dubai immigration authorities communicated these directives to travel agents, stating: “For Nigeria nationals, please bear in mind that an applicant aged 18 to 45 years travelling alone is not eligible for TOURIST VISA CATEGORY.” The notification emphasized that these conditions must be considered alongside existing documentation requirements such as hotel reservations and passport data pages.
This development marks a significant tightening of restrictions approximately one year after the UAE and Nigeria resolved a previous two-year visa ban. While that earlier ban was lifted, it came with stringent conditions that already limited the number of Nigerians able to travel to the UAE.
Travel industry sources indicate that visa processing conditions for Nigerians may continue to deteriorate in the coming days, as reported by Daily Trust. The new restrictions represent another setback for Nigerian travelers seeking to visit one of the Middle East’s major business and tourism hubs.
