THE United Arab Emirates (UAE) has dismissed reports of demanding $10,000 bank balance and 0,000 visa application fee from Nigerian travellers to the Middle East country, as against the customary visa application process.
The Nigerian government, through the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, on Monday, July 15, announced that the UAE has lifted a three-year travel ban on Nigeria, with conditions that were “mutually beneficial.”
Following the development, a Nigerian online newspaper, while reporting its findings, said it contacted the UAE’s Department of Economy and Tourism to confirm if obtaining a DVN was part of the resolutions reached between the Nigerian government and the UAE authorities before the suspension of the visa ban on Nigerian passport holders, which stated that the DV hub website had no affiliation with the UAE government.
But it was alleged that Nigerian passport holders travelling to the UAE were mandated to first obtain a Document Verification Number (DVN) before applying for visa through a process the DV hub said was a specialised service designed to authenticate and verify documentation essential for visa applications to the UAE.
The DVN costs a non-refundable N640,000, excluding VAT, for each application, which does not include the visa fee, in addition to providing proof of a six-month bank statement with a minimum balance of $10,000.
But upon enquiry, the UAE’s Department of Economy and Tourism said the DV hub website had no affiliation with the UAE government, while referring further enquiry to Dubai’s General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners’ Affairs (GDRFAD).
The GDRFAD, while explaining the process for a visa application, explained: “You will need a personal photo and a copy of your passport, which must not have less than six months validity.
“A tourist visa costs about 200-300 dirhams (N60,000 to 90,000) depending on the stay.
“You will also need a travel ticket and valid medical insurance within the UAE.”
On the issue of a bank balance of $10,000, the directorate said: “We are not aware of such requirements. Make your visa applications through the GDRFAD.”
Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Eche Abu-Obe, said clarification on the DVN would be sought and provided from the ministry’s office in the Middle East.
