O. R. SalahudeenUAE INTRODUCED NEW STIFFER VISA RULES FOR NIGERIANS
These are the new or additional visa requirements newly introduced by the United Arab Emirates for any Nigerian travellers to the UAE:
1. HOTEL RESERVATION: You must produce evidence of an acceptable place of residence while you’re in the country.
2. SIX MONTHS BANK STATEMENT: You must provide a robust bank statement acceptance to the visa issuing authority
3. RETURN FLIGHT TICKET: It’s mandatory for all short-term visitors to have a valid return ticket to the place where they depart from.
These new requirements must be scanned and uploaded using the appropriate visa portal which authorised you to complete and submit your visa application online. Unfortunately, there is no exception or waiver for the new requirements.
WHY DID THE AUTHORITIES INTRODUCE THESE OBNOXIOUS REQUIREMENTS
Despite the UAE being the most preferred destination for the majority of Nigerian travellers in which statically the UAE account for a larger percentage of travellers originating from Nigeria. About 200,000 Nigerians on average travel to the country yearly either for vacation, business or transit.
As of the time of writing this piece, there is no explanation or specific reason for introducing the stiffer rules it is our considered opinion that the UAE government took the decision to reduce to the barest minimum the influx of immigrants without adequate means and those who may enter with criminal intent into the UAE.
Unsurprisingly the new requirements came a few days following a recent public disturbance in which some African mainly youths, assumed to be Nigerians were seen fighting in a Dubai community and destroying public properties.
The Dubai police said it established criminal cases against some suspects arrested by its operatives during the disturbances, adding that they will be referred to the public prosecution for further action.
THE NEW RULES ARE UNACCEPTABLE
Although each Nation has the right to impose or set rules as the case may be, however, this new rule is unacceptable to Nigerians in that it failed to put into consideration the huge amount of Nigerian citizens heading to Dubai in particular on a daily basis. To add salt to injury, most Nigerians travelling to Dubai are going on shopping on a pleasure basis.
All nations have rules and regulations to deal with criminals or individuals with dubious tendencies, therefore, it is uncivilised to place a blanket ban on a particular country due to the uncivilised behaviour or act of a few illegal immigrants or immigrants without means of livelihood. If we may ask, what’s the job of the Dubai police if they can’t identify and fish out immigrants that turned miscreants?
NEW STRANGE DEVELOPMENT ON UAE INTRODUCED NEW STIFFER VISA RULES FOR NIGERIANS
New developments emanating from Dubai show that large numbers of Nigerians landing in Dubai in recent weeks are been refused entry. Our findings revealed that two groups of Nigerian travellers are mostly affected.
1. Nigerians who are less than 40 years of age are denied entry despite having a valid visa issued by United Arab Emirates Authorities.
2. Nigerians travellers who obtained family visas but landed alone without the so-called family or who could not establish that they have legally resident family in the UAE. We cannot understand the rationale for obtaining a family visa if you’re travelling alone. What’s an absurdity?
CONCLUSION ON UAE INTRODUCED NEW STIFFER VISA RULES FOR NIGERIANS
We make bold to say that the treatment of Nigerians travellers to the UAE is discriminatory and abnormal. However, we should not exonerate those Nigerians with criminal intent and those engaging in bad behaviour such as fighting or hooliganism in a foreign country should be ashamed of themselves. Remember, your stupid behaviour can affect the international relation between the UAE and Nigeria, unfortunately, innocent people usually pay the price.
If you have nothing to do in that country the most reasonable alternative you can do yourself is to leave that country before you end up in their horrible jail or detention.
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