The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has advised Nigerians travelling to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to be conversant with the UAE Government’s new visa policy.
The UAE has stopped issuing tourist visas to people under the age of 40, except for those applying for family visas, under the new visa regime.
According to a press release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja and signed by Francisca Omayuli, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, “the attention of the Federal government of Nigeria has been drawn to a video on social media, showing purportedly stranded Nigerians, who arrived the airport in Dubai UAE on 29th August 2022 but were denied entry into the country despite having valid visas.”
According to Omayuli, the Nigerian Mission in Dubai clarified that most of the allegedly stranded Nigerians were issued family visas only to arrive in Dubai alone, without any family members, and were thus denied entry and advised to return to their country and apply for the appropriate visas.
She went on to say that those who were allowed to enter the country had family members in the UAE, whereas those who claimed their family members were on another flight were told to wait at the airport until they arrived.
“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 of other countries so as to avoid unwanted treatments,” Omayuli added.
