N640,000 Visa Fee: Nigerians Outraged, Question UAE’s Intentions

Following the recent lifting of the visa ban on Nigeria, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Government has sharply increased its visa fee by over 300 percent. This hike, raising the cost to N640,000, has sparked outrage among Nigerian air travellers.

At the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, traveller Rose Aikigbe expressed her frustration, saying, “This is a clear indication that the UAE government doesn’t want Nigerians in their domain. How much is the United Kingdom taking? Why is the amount so out of reach? I think the Nigerian government needs to engage more with the UAE to address this hike.”

Similarly, Adejare Adebukola, a father of three with two children aspiring to study in Dubai, implored the government to act. “If the government refuses to address this hike and the UAE remains adamant, my children will have to reconsider their dreams of studying in Dubai.”

The discontent also echoed online. On X, user MAYOR (@Enokeran2016) remarked, “You think FG constant solicitation was for mere Nigerians? The appeals from the Nigerian government to lift travel bans to the UAE seem to benefit wealthy individuals and politicians more than ordinary Nigerians.”

NEFERTITI (@firstladyship) added, “It is obvious the UAE doesn’t want Nigerians. They reluctantly lifted the ban but imposed a hefty N640,000 fee. This fee is nonrefundable and has an expiration date.”

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, announced the ban’s lifting after the Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu. Idris stated that Nigerian passport holders could now travel to the UAE without hindrance, directing those seeking more information to documentverificationhub.ae.

A visit to the UAE document verification website revealed that applicants must pay N640,000 in non-refundable application fees for visas, a significant increase from the previous $100 fee, approximately N155,500. This new fee represents a 311.58 percent rise and only guarantees a Document Verification Number 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 a remittance issue of $85 million in revenue. In June, after multiple meetings, the Nigerian government assured citizens that the ban would soon be lifted, later announcing that 98 percent of the $850 million owed had been paid.

For further details, Nigerians are encouraged to visit documentverificationhub.ae.