The recent announcement by the Federal Government about the lifting of visa restrictions on Nigerians by the United Arab Emirates has generated significant excitement.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, shared this development with State House correspondents on Monday following a Federal Executive Council meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu.
Idris confirmed that the Nigerian government and UAE authorities have agreed to lift the travel restrictions on Nigerians, effective immediately. This change means Nigerian passport holders can now travel to the UAE without any hindrance.
For details on the updated UAE visa requirements, Nigerians are advised to visit documentverificationhub.ae.
However, many Nigerians have expressed their displeasure on social media about the new visa fees. Prior to the ban, the visa fee was $100. With the current exchange rate (₦1,555 per dollar), this would amount to ₦155,500.
One of the new requirements is obtaining a Document Verification Number (DVN). According to the DV hub, this service is designed to authenticate and verify documents needed for UAE visa applications. The DVN costs a non-refundable ₦640,000, excluding VAT, for each application. This fee does not cover the visa fee, which must be paid by credit card at the UAE visa centre in Abuja or at the nearest UAE visa centre for Nigerians residing abroad.
The issued DVN is valid for 14 days from issuance or until the visa application has been processed, whichever comes first. Interested travellers can expect to receive their DVN within five business days after payment is successfully processed.
Additionally, to obtain a UAE visa, Nigerians must provide proof of a six-month bank statement with a minimum balance of $10,000.
