The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has released stiffer visa regulations for Nigerians following a public disturbance by some individuals of Nigerian origin.
The new visa regulations have generated concerns among Nigerian travellers and uneasy calm in the travel industry.
A video had emerged last week of some Africans causing a public disturbance in Dubai.
In the video, youths were seen fighting in a Dubai community and destroying public property. An unconfirmed report claimed that a Dubai Police officer was killed by the hoodlums.
The Dubai Police got the hoodlums, about seven of them, arrested. A criminal case was promptly registered against the suspects for onward public prosecution.
The police warned against such unacceptable behaviour and urged the community members to report such behaviour through ‘Police Eye Service’ on Dubai Police app or by calling the emergency hotline 999.
The Force also warned the public of publishing or forwarding clips to avoid legal accountability according to article 52 of the UAE Federal Law No. 34 of 2021 on countering Rumours and Cybercrimes.
The law states that whoever uses the information network to announce, disseminate, re-disseminate, circulate, or recirculate news or data, or broadcasts any provocative news that would incite or provoke public opinion, disturb the public peace, spread terror among people, or cause harm to the public interest, the national economy, the public order, or the public health shall be punished with at least one year of imprisonment and a fine of not less than Dh100,000.
The Nigerian Community in Dubai under the umbrella of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO), United Arab Emirates (UAE) chapter, swiftly condemned the development.
It clarified that the illicit act does not represent what the country stands for.
“We the Nigerians In Diaspora Organization (NIDO) United Arab Emirates group which represents the interest of law abiding Nigerians in the UAE wish to express our profound gratitude and appreciation to the Dubai Police for their swift action in clamping down on the perpetrators of the disturbing video in the last 96 hours.
“We commend the Authority and we categorically that such illicit acts do not in any way define or represent us. We are good ambassadors, law abiding citizens and therefore, we distance ourselves from those miscreants. We assure the security agencies of our full support and cooperation if the need arises.”
Not satisfied with the clarification of the Nigerian community and as a further belt tightening measure to screen those coming into the country, Dubai took it a notch higher and updated its visa requirements by including three new conditions.
From the updated visa portal, there are now three new Nigerian requirements mandatory for all visa applicants to provide.
These requirements are to be scanned and uploaded in the visa portal as provided to enable the applicant complete and submit visa application online.
The three updated requirements are Hotel reservation/place of stay in UAE, six-month Bank Statement and return flight ticket.
While the UAE did not state any reason for the new requirement, it is believed the decision was taken to control the influx of individuals with criminal intent into the country.
The new requirements have been greeted with mixed feelings from stakeholders.
Dubai as one of the most frequently visited countries for business and tourism by Nigerians, welcomes an average of about 200,000 Nigerians annually.
The UAE has been very relaxed with their visa. It is the most relaxed of the Middle East countries with very easy requirements until some Nigerians began to abuse the near free entry status granted to them, according to analysts.
At some point, the country stopped single ladies from coming into the country except they are 40 and above.
No doubt the new stringent requirements would further hurt some Nigerians with legitimate reasons for going to Dubai.
Among those to be affected are Nigerians in search of jobs in the Arab country.
Only yesterday, the head of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, reiterated that bad behavior by Nigerians is responsible for stringent conditions male Nigerians under 30 need to comply with to get visas to Dubai.
“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. So, what the Dubai authorities have done is they’ve made their visa processes more stringent.
“If you are a Nigerian man below 30, it’ll be difficult to process a visa to Dubai for you. It is very difficult, because Dubai authorities have made it so stringent that you’re not likely to fulfill it. It doesn’t matter who you are.
“So, let Nigerians learn to obey laws of other countries and just do the right things because there are too many good Nigerians in Dubai,” she said.
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