TTwo years after the United Arab Emirates (UAE) imposed a visa ban on Nigerians and automatically rejected pending visa applications, the Nigerian government and of the UAE have announced the resumption of visa services for Nigerian citizens wishing to visit the UAE.
A joint announcement by the governments of Nigeria and the
UAE entitled, “Resumption of Visa Services for Nigerians Travelling to the
UAE’, dated March 4, 2024, stated that the commencement of visa issuance which
commenced on March 4, 2024, is a milestone, reflecting the successful outcome
of in-depth talks between the two nations and underscoring, “Our shared
commitment to strengthening ties, enhancing cultural exchanges and fostering
opportunities for economic and social collaborations.”
Both nations stated that the achievement follows the
discussions between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and His Highness Sheikh
Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, marking a
significant step forward in their bilateral cooperation.
To ensure a seamless and efficient visa application
experience, the UAE has introduced an enhanced document verification process.
Starting from March 4, 2024, all Nigerian applicants for UAE
visas are required to first obtain a document verification number. This
essential step according to the UAE is to be completed by visiting the
dedicated online Document Verification Hub platform
https/documentverificationhub.com).
The UAE Ambassador to Nigeria, Saleem Saeed Al-Shamsi
highlighted the importance of this updated procedure.
He said, “We are committed to facilitating straightforward
and expedited visa applications for Nigerians. The introduction of the Document
Verification Number is designed to enhance the integrity of our application
process and ensure prompt processing for all applicants.”
After obtaining the Document Verification Number, applicants
can proceed with their visa applications through designated travel agents,
after which the process will be completed at the Embassy of the UAE in Abuja or
Lagos.
The announcement, the UAE said signifies, “our ongoing
efforts to enhance the strong ties between the UAE and Nigeria, contributing to
the prosperity and well-being of our people.”
Recall that the UAE had in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic
and behavior of some nationals of other countries in 2022 banned nationals of
some 20 African countries including Nigeria from entering its capital city,
Dubai.
This was followed by a spat between Nigeria and UAE over the
procedure for handling travellers entering Dubai during the pandemic which Nigeria
frowned at.
The decision among others forced Emirates to exit Nigeria
including claims of millions of dollars belonging to the country trapped in
Nigeria.
Since assumption of office, President Tinubu has worked
tirelessly and ordered the immediate resolution of a diplomatic spat with the
United Arab Emirates (UAE) over the suspension of Nigerian visas in retaliation
for Lagos’s retention of funds owed to the Emirates.
Tinubu told the ambassador that both nations should agree on
core aviation and immigration issues: “We are a family with the UAE. We only
live in separate rooms, but we are in the same house.
“We should look at the issues as a family problem and
resolve it amicably. As you know, in every family, there are peculiarities. You
can have an erring son or daughter, but we must work together. We need to agree
on core aviation and immigration issues.”
Emirates first suspended flights on September 1, 2022, but
reinstated them ten days later after the Central Bank of Nigeria released
USD265 million to international airlines to settle outstanding ticket sales.
However, by November 2022, the UAE flag carrier suspended
flights again citing unsuccessful multiple negotiation attempts with the
Nigerian authorities. The airline sought the repatriation of at least 80% of
its remaining frozen funds and a guaranteed mechanism to avoid future
remittance delays.
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