The Federal Government of Nigeria through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has advised Nigerians travelling to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to be guided by the new visa regime of the UAE government.
In a statement signed by Francisca Omayuli, the ministry’s spokesperson, it noted that the UAE government has introduced a new visa regime and has stopped issuing Tourist visas to persons under 40 years.
This is following videos on social media showing stranded Nigerians calling out the federal government after arriving in Dubai and being denied entry at the airport.
What the ministry is saying
According to the statement, prospective visa applicants are now to indicate clearly their visa preferences.
The Federal Government urged Nigerians to respect the immigration laws of other countries so as to avoid unwarranted treatment.
- The statement reads, “The attention of the federal government has been drawn to a video on social media, showing purported stranded Nigerians, who arrived the airport in Dubai, UAE on 29th August 2022, but were denied entry into the country despite having valid visas.
- “The Nigerian mission in Dubai has clarified that most of the supposedly stranded Nigerians were issued with family visas, only to arrive Dubai alone without any family member. Consequently, they were denied entry and advised to return to their country and apply for the appropriate visa.
- “However, those persons allowed entry into the country have their family members in the UAE, while those who claimed their family members were on another flight, were told to wait at the airport, pending their arrival.
- “The general public is invited to note and be guided that the government of UAE has introduced a new visa regime and has stopped issuing tourist visas to persons under the age of 40 years, except for those applying for family visas.
- “It is therefore instructive for prospective visa applicants to indicate clearly their visa preferences without any ambiguity and also respect the immigration laws of other countries so as to avoid unwarranted treatments.”
In case you missed it
- Nairametrics earlier reported that Nigerians reacted to a viral video circulating on social media where some Nigerians were being held in detention at the Dubai International Airport.
- According to the Twitter user, @Dinchi who posted the video, the affected Nigerians were being held in a room, hours after they arrived the airport without any explanation on why or what they needed to do to be freed.
- She claimed that over 20 of them were being detained and their passports seized despite having their valid passports and visas.
Why is the picture of the blog from kotaka international airport Accra Ghana? Lol
Nigerians and CON are like 1 and 2….SMH
Single people applying for “family visas” because they know that the UAE authorities, recognizing that “visiting” young Nigerians come to Dubai to stay have stopped issuing single Nigerians/Africans with tourist visas.