The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has introduced new restrictions on visa applications from Nigerian nationals, including an outright ban on transit visas and tighter eligibility requirements for tourist visas.
In a circular to travel agents on Tuesday, immigration authorities in Dubai confirmed that transit visa applications from Nigerians will no longer be processed, reports Daily Trust.
The communication further outlined new rules for tourist visa applications, making it more difficult for Nigerian nationals to gain entry into the country.
According to the new guidelines, Nigerians aged between 18 and 45 years are no longer eligible for tourist visas unless they are travelling with others.
“For Nigerian nationals, please bear in mind that an applicant aged 18 to 45 years travelling alone is not eligible for the tourist visa category,” the notice stated.
Additionally, Nigerians aged 45 and above must now submit a six-month personal bank statement, with each month showing a minimum balance of $10,000 (or the naira equivalent), to qualify for a tourist visa.
Other existing requirements such as hotel reservations and passport data pages still apply.
The move comes less than a year after both countries resolved a two-year diplomatic standoff that led to a visa issuance freeze for Nigerians.
Although the UAE lifted the ban in 2023, visa approvals have remained selective and highly scrutinized.
The new UAE policy came shortly after the United States government also unveiled new visa regulations for Nigerians.
Effective July 8, 2025, most non-immigrant, non-diplomatic visas issued by the U.S. to Nigerian citizens will now be single-entry and valid for only three months.
The U.S. Embassy in Abuja said the change aligns with ongoing global security and immigration benchmarks, and is part of a broader visa reciprocity framework.
While emphasizing that previously issued visas will retain their validity, the embassy said the policy update is based on the principle of reciprocity and reflects technical, security, and information-sharing standards expected globally.
Despite the stricter entry terms, the United States stressed that the changes do not reflect a deterioration in U.S.-Nigeria relations.
“The United States values its longstanding relationship with Nigeria and remains committed to expanding our partnership based on mutual respect, shared security priorities, and economic opportunity,” the embassy stated.
