The immigration authorities of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have imposed a visa ban on Nigerians seeking to visit the oil-rich country, stating that all submitted applications will be rejected and fees will be non-refundable.
The latest development is in a series of squabbles between Nigerian and UAE immigration authorities over visa restrictions and engagement with Nigerians who want to visit.
According to reports, Dubai officials announced the latest development in a Friday notice sent to its trade partners in Nigeria, including travel agencies.
Although no reason was given for the ban, Dubai authorities declared that all applications would be halted until issues between the UAE and Nigerian governments were resolved.
What the UAE Immigration Authorities said
The latest decision by the UAE immigration authorities is bad news for all Nigerians seeking to travel to the UAE. The notice to Nigerian travel agents partly said:Â
All Dubai applications submitted are now rejected. It is general for Nigerians and approvals are on hold at the moment. Kindly advise your clients to resubmit C2=A0 applications when the issue is resolved between both governments.
What you should knowÂ
This action by the UAE authorities seems to lend credence to allegations of an ongoing rift between Nigeria and the Middle East, especially since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.Â
Recall that in June 2021, there were reports that immigration authorities of the wealthy Middle East country barred Nigerians from applying for work permits and placed visa restrictions on them.Â
