Qatar deny new visa restrictions for Nigerians

Qatar Ministry of Interior don deny di tori wey dey spread say dem issue new visa restrictions for Nigerian passport holders.

One representative for di ministry visa section tell BBC say no restrictions dey for Nigerians wey wish to visit Qatar.

Tori bin don dey trend on Nigeria social media say Qatar don issue new travel ban wey deny male applicants entry into di kontri, except dem dey come wit dia families.

Di statement wey go viral, also note say na only females or family fit apply for di visa.

Di supposed restrictions also require applicants to get a five-star hotel booking for Qatar and return flight ticket bifor dem go fit apply for a travel or transit visa.

Di notification according to reports na from 'Discover Qatar'- one Qatar based tourism management company wey dey work wit local travel agencies for Nigeria.

Di company bin cite "frequent cases of overstays by Nigerian travellers" as di reason for di new restrictions.

Hayya- Qatar one all-in-one digital platform for E-visa services also tell BBC say di process of submitting applications and receiving responses still dey operate normally and regularly.

"No suspension or changes dey to di current procedures. If any updates go dey in dis regard, e go dey announced on our official platforms." Di statement tok.

Qatar don receive plenti Nigerians in di last three years. Several travel agents tok say di reason for di spike in Nigerian visitors, na sake of di diplomatic issue wey bin hapun between Nigeria and di UAE between 2021 and 2024 bicos of visa restrictions and suspension of flight operations.

Qatar don go beyond transit point for many West Africans wey wan go Europe and Asia.

E don grow into correct location for Nigerians wey dey organise destination events like birthdays, weddings and corporate events including high powered meetings, conferences, and executive retreats.

From di United States to Europe and now di Middle East, restriction of visa don become recurring challenge for African travellers.

For July, 2025, United States bin announce sweeping changes to dia non-immigrant visa policy for Nigeria, Cameroon, Ethiopia and Ghana. Dem cut di duration and conditions under which most travellers from dis kontris go fit enta dia kontri.

Di US Department of State say nearly all non-immigrant and non-diplomatic visas issued to citizens of di four kontris go now be single-entry and valid for only three months.

Dem say dis na part of one "global reciprocity realignment", wey be sharp shift from previous visa terms, wey bin allow for multiple entries ova two years or more.

Nigeria bin deny di report say dem dey only offer single-entry e-visas for three months to US citizens.

Tok-tok pesin to Nigeria President Bayo Onanuga bin clear am for statement say, Nigeria dey offer five-year multiple-entry visas to US nationals and go continue to do so.

"We wan tok am again say US govment claim of reciprocity as di reason for dia current visa policy towards Nigeria no accurately reflect di actual situation," e tok.

US citizens fit get visas of up to one year for Cameroon and 90 days for Ethiopia.

For 15 July 2025, Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris announce say Nigeria government reach agreement wit UAE to allow Nigeria Passport Holders get visa travel go di Arab kontri.

Di announcement come more dan two years afta di UAE suspend visa issuance to Nigerians.