Are you a Nigerian? Do you have any plans to travel to Dubai? With the rate at which Nigerians have been deported from Dubai in recent years, you might be wondering along the lines of, Can Nigerians travel to Dubai?
Although Nigerians were banned from getting a Dubai visa in 2022, Nigerians can now travel to Dubai. With the recent lift of the ban against the entry of Nigerians into their borders, you can now travel to Dubai for a stipulated period.
Due to the negative spotlight on Nigerians in Dubai, many have suffered losses. Nigerian businesses that got their wares from Dubai had to close down or resort to other places to get their wares. Different sectors were affected in many ways, including Air Peace and Emirates.
In a bid to curtail those losses and also improve the country’s economy, i.e both Nigeria and Dubai, the ban was lifted. This claim became a hot topic. Let us dive into the subject of can Nigerians travel to Dubai?
Can Nigeria Travel To Dubai?
News has been going around since the UAE’s lifting of the ban against Nigerian entry. There have been refusals of this claim by both the Nigerian government and the Dubai government. Despite that, it has been discovered that Nigerians are actually eligible for UAE visas. This can be proven by looking through the list of eligible countries provided on the UAE visa online website.
The eligibility of Nigerians to get a UAE visa indicates that Nigerians can actually travel to Dubai. Therefore, can Nigerians travel to Dubai? Yes! As a Nigerian, you can travel to Dubai either for business or for leisure. To be able to travel to Dubai, there are certain things you need to put in place. We will be discussing those steps in the following subheadings.
What You Need To Be Able To Travel To Dubai
First of all, to travel to Dubai, you need to have a Nigerian passport. Then you have to apply for a Dubai visa, which you can do by going to the Dubai application center in Lagos, Nigeria or by applying online. You are also required to apply for the Dubai visa two (2) months before the date of the trip. The least amount of time you use to apply for and get the Dubai visa is two (2) weeks before the actual departure date.
To be on the safer side, 2 months is recommended because the Dubai visa is valid for 58 days. And the 58 days actually starts counting from the date of the issuance of the visa. Let’s find out the documents required for application of UAE (Dubai) visa.
Required Documents For Dubai Visa Application
To apply for a UAE ( Dubai) visa, you need the following documents:.
- A Nigerian passport
- Photocopies of your identification card and passport; this included both visas that have expired or are still valid.
- The visa application form: ensure to fill the form correctly with the use of capital letters and sign by the applicant.
- A copy of your return ticket will confirm your itinerary. This is important because many visitors have been turned away at the gate due to the lack of a return ticket.
- A proof of your financial status: This can be represented simply with a copy of your recent bank statement.
- A proof of health insurance: to avoid certain unforeseen mishaps.
- For Tourists: You have to submit a letter from your employer. This letter will prove that your employer is aware of your whereabouts. It will also show that you will be resuming work duties when you get back from your trip.
- For Self Employed Tourists: you have to present photocopies of your business registration and documents for fulfilling taxes.
- For Visitors visiting friends and Family: You have to present a letter from your host, i.e., the friend or relative you are going to see. The letter must include the address, phone numbers, signature, date and a copy of their UAE passport or residence permit.
- A copy of your hotel reservation.
- To get the 30-day short-term visitor visa, you must be a person of high profession. You must also provide evidence of your profession. We will be discussing the types of Dubai visa Nigerians can apply for next.
Types Of Dubai Visa You Can Apply For
Basically, there are two main categories of Dubai visa. They include the following:
- The Single Entry Visa: This type of visa indicates that you can only enter the UAE once and leave once.
- The Multiple Entry Visa: This type of visa indicates or allows you to enter and leave Dubai during the period of your stay.
Please note that you can apply for any of them. Going on to the different types of Dubai visa. There are different types of Dubai Visa you can apply for as a Nigerian. They include the following:
- The 96-Hour Visa: This visa is for those who intend to stay in Dubai for no more than four days. This visa only lasts for 96 hours and the time starts counting immediately after the visa has been issued.
- The 14-Day Visa (short-term, single entry): This 14-Day Visa lasts for 14 Days from the issuance date. It is also a single entry, which means that you enter Dubai only once.
- The 30-Day Visa (short-term visit, single entry): Just like the other types of visas, this 30-day visa starts counting from the date of issue. It also lasts for 30 days. This gives you enough time to explore the tourist locations within Dubai.
- The 90-Day Visa: This visa, unlike the others, lasts longer and gives you enough time to spend your holiday with your family and friends. Some people use their long stay to carry out business transactions.
Please note that not all types of visas are extensible but some are, as we will know soon. Regardless of that, be sure of the amount of time you will spend in Dubai and leave before your visa expires. Let’s go on to discuss how to apply for a Dubai visa.
How To Apply For A Dubai Visa
To apply for a Dubai visa, there are three steps you must follow.
- Get the application form and fill it.
- Submit all the required documents.
- Proceed to pay the application fee.
Please note that the submission of everything stated above is only permitted from 08:00 am to 15:00 pm on Monday through to Friday.
After a successful application for the Dubai visa, you can actually track the progress of your application online. You can find out how to track your Dubai visa online. When you get notified of the approval of your visa, go ahead and download it onto your device. Then go on to verify the visa and you are all set to travel to Dubai.
Dubai Visa Extension
Things don’t always go as planned and you might need to extend your stay in Dubai. This has made the Dubai government agree to visa extension. The types of Dubai visa that can be extended are the 30-day visa and the 60-day visa. To be eligible for a Dubai visa extension, there are certain things that must be considered. They include the following:
- You have to be in the UAE before you can apply for the extension. This means that you can not apply for an extension before you take the trip.
- You would be required to leave Dubai on the last day of your stay validity. No matter how urgent the cause of the extension might be, you have to leave first. This is also to avoid certain penalties due to overstaying your visa.
UAE (Dubai) Visa Processing Time
Now that the answer to the question Can Nigerians Travel to Dubai has been answered alongside other questions,. The next question on your mind might be: how long does Dubai visa processing take? Dubai visa processing time varies with the prices attached to them. The different processing times for Dubai Visa include the following:
- Normal Processing: This normal processing time is the regular visa processing time. It takes 3–4 business days to process your visa.
- Express Processing: Just like the name implies, express processing is faster than normal processing. It takes 24-48 business hours to process your visa.
- Urgent Processing: This one is done faster than the above-mentioned processing time. It takes 7-8 hours to finish processing your visa.
- Super Urgent Processing: This processing time is the fastest and it takes just 3–4 hours to process your visa.
Please note that the prices of each processing duration vary from each other. This was put in place in cases of emergency or unplanned trips.
Conclusion
Can Nigerians travel to Dubai? Yes, they can. After the lifting of the ban on Nigerians, Nigerians have been able to apply for a Dubai visa and receive visa approval. Although the cost of getting a Dubai visa is subject to change from time to time, traveling to Dubai is still possible for Nigerians.
Then there is the question of refunds for unapproved visas. There is actually no refund if your visa doesn’t get approved. You just have to be sure you are submitting the right documents and that you are applying for the right kind or type of visa. After putting everything in place, getting your Dubai visa approved will not be a hassle.
