Nigerian Travelers Express Outrage Over UAE Visa Fee Hike Following Ban Uplift
The recent lifting of the visa ban on Nigeria by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been met with a unexpected twist, as the UAE government has increased its visa fee by over 300 percent. This move has sparked widespread outrage among Nigerian travelers, who are now required to pay a non-refundable application fee of N640,000, a significant increase from the previous fee of $100 (N155,500).
However, the new fee has been met with criticism and frustration from travelers, who are calling on the Nigerian government to intervene and address the hike. Rose Aikigbe, a traveler at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, expressed her disappointment, stating that the increase is “a clear indication that the UAE government doesn’t want Nigerians in their domain.” She questioned the rationale behind the hike, comparing it to the fees charged by the United Kingdom.
Moreover, Adejare Adebukola, a father of three whose children aspire to study in Dubai, voiced his concerns about the impact of the fee increase on his family’s plans. He lamented that if the government and UAE authorities fail to address the issue, his children may have to reconsider their dreams of studying in Dubai.
Furthermore, the outrage has extended to social media, with users criticizing the fee increase and questioning the true intentions behind the UAE’s policies. Some have suggested that the Nigerian government’s efforts to lift the travel ban were primarily to benefit the wealthy and politicians.
In addition, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, announced the lifting of the ban and directed those seeking information on updated UAE visa conditions to visit the UAE document verification website. However, a review of the website revealed that the new fee does not guarantee a visa and is only valid for 14 days or until the visa application is processed.
The visa ban was initially imposed due to diplomatic disputes, including Dubai’s Emirates Airline halting flights to Nigeria over the Central Bank of Nigeria’s inability to remit an estimated $85 million in revenue to the UAE. Following numerous meetings, the Nigerian government announced in June that the ban would soon be lifted and reported that it had paid 98 percent of the $850 million owed.
