FLASH NEWSUAE Visa for Nigerians: Fees, 48-Hour Processing & Rules

Nigerian passport holders cannot enter the UAE visa-free or get a visa on arrival. You need an approved electronic visa before you board, and there are two practical routes to get one: a GDRFA tourist visa arranged through a Dubai tourism office, airline or hotel, or the VFS Global application route in Nigeria for Emirates passengers. The fee, the timeline and the paperwork differ between the two, so pick the route before you pay anyone.

UAE visa issuance for Nigerians resumed in 2024 after a ban of about two years, and applications now run through the normal channels described below.

Which route should a Nigerian traveller use?

How much does a UAE tourist visa cost for Nigerians?

The government fee for a single-entry tourist visa published by GDRFA in Dubai is below. There is no security deposit for this visa type.

If the traveller is already inside the UAE when the application is made, GDRFA adds the Knowledge Dirham (AED 10), the Innovation Dirham (AED 10) and an in-country fee of AED 500. Travel agencies and booking portals may add their own service charge on top of these figures, so ask for a written breakdown before paying.

Hypothetical example: a traveller books a 30-day trip through a Dubai tourism office. The government part is AED 200 plus AED 10 VAT, so AED 210. If the office charges its own service fee of, say, AED 100, the total becomes AED 310. The office fee is the agent’s choice and varies.

On the VFS Global Nigeria route the fee is quoted in naira and includes the service charge and tax. The published figures for the common tourist options are below. Fees are non-refundable once paid, and they change, so confirm the current amount on the VFS page before you pay.

What documents do Nigerians need for a UAE visa?

GDRFA’s own requirement is short: one personal photograph and a copy of the passport. The conditions attached to the visa are where most applicants get caught:

• A valid Nigerian passport with at least six months of validity remaining.
• A confirmed ticket to continue the journey or to leave the UAE.
• Medical insurance that is valid in the UAE.
• A recent photograph and a clear copy of the passport bio page.

The VFS Global route asks for more. Based on the VFS Nigeria listing, prepare these before you go to the centre:

For the 90-day visa types, VFS asks for either a travel record (travel to the USA, UK, Schengen countries, Australia, New Zealand or Canada in the last two years, or a valid visa for one of them) or a refundable security deposit of USD 1,550 equivalent, paid in naira. Unaccompanied students and young women under 25 need pre-approval for these visas.

How do you apply for a UAE tourist visa from Nigeria?

1. Choose your route: a GDRFA visa through a licensed tourism office, UAE airline or Dubai hotel, or the VFS Global route if you fly Emirates.
2. Confirm the sponsor is legitimate before sharing your passport details or paying. Only accredited tourism offices in Dubai can issue the GDRFA single-entry tourist visa.
3. Prepare your documents and check that every name and date matches the passport and flight.
4. Submit the application. GDRFA channels work through its website and smart app; the VFS route uses a downloaded form completed offline and submitted at the application centre.
5. Pay the government fee plus any channel charge, and keep the receipt and reference number.
6. Wait for approval, then print the visa. Do not buy non-refundable travel until the visa is issued.

Once you hold a reference number, the ICP route in our guide to checking your UAE visa status online shows how to confirm what the system holds for you.

How long can you stay, and can you extend?

A single-entry tourist visa allows one visit of 30 or 60 days, depending on the option chosen. It is used up once you leave the UAE, even if days remain. Tourist visas can be extended, but the total continuous stay cannot exceed 120 days. The sponsor, usually the tourism company that issued the visa, applies for the extension.

Do not assume a grace period after a visit visa expires. Our UAE tourist visa guide, the visit visa extension card and the overstay fine guide cover the extension routes and fine calculation in full.

What can go wrong at the airport or border?

An approved visa does not guarantee entry. Immigration officers can ask to see your return ticket, hotel booking and supporting documents, so carry printed or saved copies. A tourist visa does not allow work or any activity that needs a separate permit. Passport details must match the visa exactly. If you hold a tourist or residence visa for a third country and plan to stop in Dubai, VFS advises getting the Dubai visa before leaving Nigeria for that third country.

Only transit through the UAE? A short stop has its own rules, covered in our UAE transit visa card. Planning repeat trips? See the 5-year tourist visa card for its separate bank-balance rules.