The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Embassy in Nigeria has reacted to media reports about the purported travel restrictions imposed on Nigerians wishing to travel to the UAE.
In its response, the UAE Embassy in Abuja refuted the accuracy of the information which was contained in those reports, while also affirming the growing bilateral relations between the 2 friendly countries.
This disclosure was made in an official statement by the United Arab Emirates Embassy in Abuja on Thursday, August 6, 2020.
The embassy, in its statement, said the UAE government acknowledged that travel between Nigeria and the UAE has been limited due to the closure of the Nigerian airspace. Part of the statement said:
“In response to recent press and social media reports regarding purported travel restrictions between the UAE and Nigeria, and in an affirmation of the growing bilateral relations between the two friendly countries, the UAE Embassy in Abuja denies the accuracy of the information contained in these reports.
“At the onset of the COVlD-19 pandemic, the UAE took a number of precautionary measures to combat the virus’ spread, including the temporary suspension on issuing UAE visas for all nationalities as of March 17, 2020.
“After entering the recovery phase of the pandemic, the UAE eased some measures on July 7, permitting visitors from various countries to adhere to the necessary precautionary measures, including by showing negative PCR test results within 92 hours of travelling to the UAE. This includes those visiting from Nigeria.”
(READ MORE:FG travel restrictions on 13 countries: A little too late?)
The statement also noted that the UAE Embassy and the Nigerian Government will continue to work closely to obtain the necessary approvals to facilitate travel between both countries.
It can be recalled that there were media reports which were triggered by claims of a travel agency, saying that visa renewals for Nigerians in the UAE, approval for permanent residents, and tourist visas have been discontinued.
Some social media users, in reaction to the development, linked the new restrictions to some of the fraud cases involving some Nigerians in Dubai recently
Our Official Statement on the recent press and social media reports purporting travel restrictions between the #UAE and #Nigeria. pic.twitter.com/HKIYZya3ad
— UAE Embassy in Nigeria (@UAEEmbassyNGR) August 6, 2020
I hope something will be done asap on Visa application. I have a staff that I need to apply for his employment Visa. He works for me, will I allow him to go back to Nigeria and my business run down or make him stay and incure fine. The ban on employment Visa is not good.
Yes we have had a couple of staff declined for new visa application, no reasons provided
Pls am in Nigeria now with my residence av spend more than 6 months in Nigeria bcs of covid-19 and my residence is not expire so I need to go back to Dubai pls help us bcs my residence will expire on November 2021 pls help me to secure my visa
Good morning sir many Nigerians are inside the country now wants to go back home but only Visit Visa can go back home does one with cancel Visa how still stuck in the country because dem asking to pay overstay fine or we can go home,some Visa was cancelled in June may n July at that time no flight can someone help us
Last week had a couple of staff declined for new visa application, no reasons provided
This is window dressing. The fact is that the restriction on visas is as close to a visa ban to protect UAE from 419 wash wash Nigerian fraudsters and prostitutes who are now too much in UAE. We will expell most of these thrn restrit the numbers who come in from Nigeria.