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Yes, Nigerians can get a Dubai visa again, but it must be issued before you fly. Nigeria is on the UAE's visa required list. A licensed Dubai tourism company or airline files a tourist visa, AED 210 in GDRFA fees for 30 days, or a relative in the UAE sponsors you. Nigerian files go through an extra verification step, and GDRFA lists 48 hours once the file is complete.
What happened with visas for Nigerians
A lot of what you read online is out of date. This is the order of events, with the type of source behind each one.
| When | What happened | Source type |
|---|---|---|
| Nigeria's foreign ministry warned of a stop on tourist visas for under 40s | Nigerian government notice, now old | |
| UAE stopped issuing visas to Nigerian passports | Major media | |
| Ban lifted, with a verification step; children 13 and under exempt | Africanews, | |
| Agent notice reported: no tourist visas for younger adults travelling alone, transit visas stopped, bank balance rules for older applicants | Nigerian media, not official | |
| UAE ambassador said Nigerians were no longer facing visa rejections | BusinessDay, |
Two things are still unclear. Nobody has published whether the conditions in that agent notice were formally withdrawn, and no GDRFA or ICP notice deals with Nigerian visas on their own. So treat those points as reported, not as law, and ask whoever files your visa what they are seeing on Nigerian files today.
The verification step
When visas restarted, media reported that Nigerian applicants first submit identity details and their travel history. A verification number comes back, and only then is the visa filed. Children aged 13 and under were reported as exempt. In practice this means two things for you: the file takes a little longer to start, and any gap between what you declare and your passport stamps shows up early.
Routes for a Nigerian passport
- Tourist visa. Filed by an accredited Dubai tourism establishment, a hotel or a UAE airline. You never apply to the embassy, because UAE embassies do not issue tourist visas.
- Family visit visa. A relative with UAE residence sponsors you through ICP or GDRFA. The sponsor's salary and file carry most of the weight. Details are on our family visit visa page.
- GCC residents. A Nigerian living in Saudi Arabia, Qatar or another GCC state may qualify for the GDRFA entry visa for GCC residents, if the profession on the residence is on the approved list. See Dubai visa for GCC residents.
Fees in AED
| Visa | Government fee | Paid by |
|---|---|---|
| Tourist, 30 days, one entry | AED 210 | Tourism establishment, passed to you |
| Tourist, 60 days, one entry | AED 315 | Tourism establishment, passed to you |
| Tourist, 30 days, multiple entry | AED 315 | Tourism establishment, passed to you |
| Relative visit, ICP | AED 100 application, AED 100 a month, AED 100 smart services | UAE resident sponsor |
| ICP guarantee, one entry | AED 1,000, refundable | UAE resident sponsor |
Source: GDRFA tourist visa pages and ICP visit visa page, checked . GDRFA amounts include 5% VAT.
What Dubai agencies charge
Dubai visa agencies publish about AED 340 to AED 800 for a 30-day single entry visa (published prices of 8 Dubai agencies, checked ). Those are prices for any passport. Ask any agent quoting far above that range what the extra covers.
Documents to have ready
- Passport bio page, scanned flat and in colour, valid for 6 months or more from your arrival date
- Photo on a white background, no sunglasses or cap
- Confirmed return ticket
- Health insurance valid in the UAE
- Previous travel visas and stamps, since the verification step looks at travel history
- For a family visit: the sponsor's Emirates ID, residence, salary proof and proof of the relationship
How long it takes
GDRFA states 48 hours for a tourist visa once everything is in. ICP states 2 days for a visit visa. The verification step comes before that clock starts, so give yourself at least a week before the flight. If GDRFA asks for a missing document, you have 30 days to supply it before the request is cancelled.
Why Nigerian files get refused
- Travel history that does not match the passport stamps
- A blurred or cropped passport scan, which sends the file back
- A sponsor whose salary is below the ICP tier for that relationship
- A one-way ticket, or a return date after the visa ends
- A past overstay in the UAE; each overstay day costs AED 50 and stays on record
Our visa rejection reasons page goes through the rest.
How it works with us
You send the passport page and travel dates on WhatsApp, or through the form on this page. A visa adviser looks at your travel history and tells you honestly which route has the best chance for a Nigerian passport right now. Before you pay, you get one total price. The team then prepares the verification details and the visa request, files them and follows up until there is a decision. The e-visa comes to you by email. DubaiVisaDesk.com is a private visa service, not a government office: GDRFA or ICP makes the decision.
Government fees are not returned by the authorities after a refusal. Before you pay, your adviser writes down what part of the total, if any, comes back if the visa is refused.
Official sources
- MOFA visa exemptions page: Nigeria shown as visa required
- GDRFA tourist visa, single entry: fees, conditions, 48 hours
- ICP visit visa: sponsor salary tiers and guarantee
- u.ae tourist visa: embassies do not issue tourist visas
- GDRFA status inquiry: check the issued visa
The ban history comes from Africanews and BusinessDay reporting, not from a UAE notice. Neighbouring pages: Ghana, Cameroon, and every passport on Dubai visa by nationality.
