The Federal Government on Friday, September 2, reacted to a video showing stranded Nigerians at an airport in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates -UAE. The footage had alluded that the Nigerians had been turned away from the Gulf State despite possessing valid visas.
In a statement issued by the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Francisca Omayuli, the government revealed that the Nigerians who had been turned away did not have the visa to enter the country.
The government also revealed that the UAE had stopped issuing tourist visas to persons under the age of 40, with exceptions for those applying for family visas.
The statement read: “The Nigerian Mission in Dubai has clarified that most of the supposedly stranded Nigerians were issued with family visas, only to arrive in Dubai alone without any family members. Consequently, they were denied entry and advised to return to their country and apply for the appropriate visas.
“However, those persons allowed passage into the country have their family members in the UAE, while those who claimed their family members were on another flight were told to wait at the airport pending their arrival.
“The general public is to note and be guided that the Government of the UAE has introduced a new visa regime and has quit issuing tourist visas to people under the age of 40 years, except for those applying for family visas.
“It is, therefore, instructive for prospective visa applicants to clearly indicate their visa preferences without ambiguity and to also respect the immigration laws of other countries to avoid unwarranted treatments.” The statement finished.
