By Akinwale Kasali
Following the outcry by Nigerians to protest the United Arab Emirates, UAE, Government’s decision to turn Nigerians back from the Emirate’s Airport, despite having valid Visas, the Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission NIDCOM, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has explained why.
In a post shared on her Instagram page Friday morning, she stated that the UAE authorities recently released new guidelines for visa applications for people under the age of 40.
She said many Nigerians now try to circumvent the guidelines by applying for “family visas,” but when they get the family visas, they still travel alone, and this is why they are being turned back at the airport.
She also mentioned that six months genuine bank statement, accommodation details, as well as a return ticket, must be produced on arrival, and that passengers without these requirements are those being turned back. Her post:
”Recall the recent warning issued a while ago.
“The UAE Government has now introduced a new visa regime and has stopped issuing tourist visas to persons under the age of 40 years, except for those applying for family visas.
“However, to evade the new visa rules, some applicants request “family visas”
“However, on arrival, some travel alone and arrive without family.
So they are turned back from the airport. Also the UAE authorities demand:
- Return ticket,
- Valid 6 months Bank Account Statement and
- A valid Residence Address.
“There have been quite a number of Nigerian passengers turned back from the UAE airport in the last few weeks.”
She also shared a video from an interview she granted earlier explaining the new UAE visa regime.
