The Federal Government has advised Nigerian prospective applicants for Visa to United Arab Emirates (UAE) to clearly indicate their visa preferences without any ambiguity, and respect immigration laws of other countries so as to avoid unwarranted treatments.
In a statement released by the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday over the viral video on social media, showing purportedly stranded Nigerians, who arrived at the Airport in Dubai, UAE on 29th August, 2022, but were denied entry into the country, despite having valid visas.
As the advisory become necessary following new visa regime introduced by the Government of the UAE, which has led the country to stop issuing tourist visas to persons under the age of 40 years, except for those applying for family visas.
While the statement further said there has been some clarification by the Nigerian Mission in Dubai that most of the supposedly stranded Nigerians were issued with family visas, only to arrive Dubai alone without any family member.
“Consequently, they were denied entry and advised to return to their country and apply for the appropriate visas. However, those persons allowed entry into the country have their family members in the UAE”, the statement added.
The statement pointed out that those who claimed their family members were on another flight, were told to wait at the airport, pending their arrival.
Meanwhile, the Chairman/CEO, Nigerian in Diaspora Commission, NIDCOM, Abike Dabiri-Erewa attestified to the new UAE Visa on a Thursday telecast, calling on Nigerians abroad to be of good behavior and stop spoiling the country’s name.
“I think a few Nigerians have taken bad behaviour too far and we have to admit and accept that. It is not about profiling or generalisation, it has gone too far,” she said.
Speaking on the reports relating to Dubai in a post on her Twitter handle, Dabiri-Erewa said despite being warned on new UAE visa rules for certain age categories, some Nigerians tried to “circumvent” the regulations.
