UAE Bans Transit Visas, Imposes Stricter Entry Rules on Nigerians

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has imposed additional visa conditions on Nigerian travelers, including a complete ban on transit visa applications.

The directive, which was issued to travel agents on Tuesday, is expected to significantly limit the number of Nigerians traveling to Dubai, a popular hub for tourism and business.

According to travel industry sources, the UAE authorities have now barred Nigerians between the ages of 18 and 45 from obtaining tourist visas unless they are accompanied, although the new rule does not specify who qualifies as an acceptable companion.

This policy is being seen as a major setback for thousands of Nigerians who frequently visit the UAE for business, tourism, and medical purposes.

The ban on transit visas also affects travelers intending to pass through Dubai en route to other destinations, further compounding the difficulties for Nigerian passport holders seeking international connections.

This development comes barely a year after both countries resolved a protracted diplomatic impasse that led to a two-year visa ban on Nigerians. Though the ban was lifted in 2023, it came with a raft of limitations, including reduced visa approvals and longer processing times.

Travel agents who spoke to Daily Trust expressed concern over the latest policy, saying the situation is deteriorating and could worsen in the coming days. “We were informed on Tuesday that no more transit visa applications will be accepted, and the restriction on tourist visas has tightened even further,” one agent disclosed.

The Nigerian government is yet to officially respond to the new restrictions, but diplomatic sources say efforts are ongoing to engage UAE authorities on easing the policy, especially in light of long-standing economic and people-to-people ties between both nations.

The latest visa rules are expected to drastically reduce traffic from Nigeria to Dubai, impacting not just tourists but also businesses that rely on the UAE as a major trading and logistics hub.