UAE Imposes Stricter Visa Rules on Nigerians Hours After U.S. New Visa Entry Limits

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced new visa restrictions just hours after the United States unveiled tougher non-immigrant visa rules for Nigerian citizens.

This announcement comes after West Africa Weekly’s earlier report that Nigerians have been barred from securing transit or tourist visas to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) due to an enforced requirement: maintaining a minimum monthly bank balance of $10,000 for six consecutive months, totalling $60,000.

According to new directives issued Tuesday and communicated to travel agents, the UAE has now banned transit visa applications for Nigerian passport holders and introduced age-based restrictions for tourist visa applicants.

Effective immediately, Nigerians between the ages of 18 and 45 will no longer be eligible for tourist visas unless they are accompanied, a move expected to reduce solo travel from Nigeria to Dubai, one of the country’s most popular destinations for tourism and commerce.

Also, Nigerian applicants aged 45 and above are required to submit a personal bank statement for the past six months, showing a minimum closing balance of USD 10,000 (or its equivalent in naira) for each month. These requirements must be met in addition to existing demands, such as confirmed hotel bookings and return flight tickets.

Read Also: Nigerian Govt Opens Exclusive Passport Office for Senior Officials as Nigerians Endure Delays

Travel agents told Daily Trust that the UAE visa process for Nigerians, which had already become stringent following the lifting of a two-year visa ban in 2023, is now becoming “unbearably restrictive.”

Just hours before the UAE directive, the United States Department of State issued a major policy update, announcing that most non-immigrant and non-diplomatic visas for Nigerian citizens will now be single-entry only and valid for just three months.

The announcement, made via the U.S. Embassy in Abuja, takes immediate effect. However, visas issued before July 8, 2025, will remain valid under their original terms and conditions.

The U.S. stated that the policy change is part of its global visa reciprocity review, which ensures that visa policies reflect technical, security, and diplomatic considerations.

U.S. visa criteria and standards are designed to protect the integrity of U.S. immigration systems, the embassy said.

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