By Abiola Olawale
The Federal Government of Nigeria on Monday announced that it has been able to strike a deal to resolve actwo-year logjam with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on a number of subject matters, including visas.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris who addressed the press in Abuja announced that the UAE and Nigeria had reached an agreement for the resumption of travel for citizens beginning July 15.
Idris said the resolution was reached following “successful talks and extensive, mutually beneficial negotiations”.
He also added that the new deal includes “updated controls and conditions” to facilitate obtaining a UAE visa.
Checks on the official website for the updates, and document verification hub revealed that one of the new requirements is obtaining a document verification number (DVN).
According to the website, the DVN is a specialised service designed to authenticate and verify documentation essential for visa applications to the UAE.
The DVN costs a non-refundable ₦640,000 excluding VAT for each application. This does not include the visa fee which must be paid by credit card at the UAE visa centre in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city.
For Nigerians residing abroad, the visa fee can be paid at the nearest UAE visa centre.
“Your issued document verification number will be valid for 14 days from issuance, or once your visa application has been processed by the visa application department (whichever of these comes first),” the DV hub said.
Interested travellers are expected to receive their DVN within five business days once payment has been successfully processed.
In addition, another requirement for obtaining a UAE visa, is that Nigerians are expected to provide proof of a six-month bank statement with a minimum balance of $10,000.
Applicants are also mandated to show round-trip flight tickets and proof of hotel booking.
Meanwhile, Nigerians have begun to react to the latest developments. Below are some of the reactions curated from social media:
“This is what you guys are celebrating right?
$10k bank balance
N640k application fee
Aren’t you guys ashamed of this buggy buggy and unbalanced relationship?”(@ishakaa)
“If the UAE succeed in slamming N640,000 on Nigerians, other countries will follow. It is not about Dubai & its subtle rejection of the Nigerian passport. It’s about Nigeria & its Foreign Relations. Resist the N640K DVN fee.
The precedent is going to blow your mind!”(@firstladyship)
“N640k as a non-refundable fee for some document verification to apply for UAE visa is a slap on Nigerians.
It is a very big shame.
Like, I cannot fathom that a govt official sat in a room and discussed that as a solution.
This proves my hypothesis that the desperation to lift the Dubai ban is borne out of the need to protect the multibillion dollar investments of the Nigerian political class in UAE real estates.
Your politicians know this.
The UAE Govt knows this.
That’s why this visa ban (as shameful as it sounds) is not for you.”(@spotlight_abby)
“The N640k is the smallest of the ridiculous requirement. Peruse it all. It’s more of a pass for the rich only.
Well, it’s only the rich that travel afterall. New set of houses and new rides for that Jayejaye former senator.”(@iam_erioluwa)
