On Monday, Mohammed Idris, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, announced that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Nigeria had reached an agreement to resume travel for citizens starting July 15.
Idris mentioned that this resolution came after “successful talks and extensive, mutually beneficial negotiations.”
However, the minister noted that the new agreement includes “updated controls and conditions” for obtaining a UAE visa. One of the new requirements is obtaining a Document Verification Number (DVN).
According to the DV Hub, this process is a specialized service designed to authenticate and verify documentation necessary for UAE visa applications.
The DVN costs a non-refundable ₦640,000, excluding VAT, for each application. This fee does not include the visa fee, which must be paid by credit card at the UAE visa center in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city.
For Nigerians residing abroad, the visa fee can be paid at the nearest UAE visa center.
The DV Hub stated, “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 comes first).”
Interested travelers are expected to receive their DVN within five business days once payment has been successfully processed.
In addition to obtaining a UAE visa, Nigerians must provide proof of a six-month bank statement with a minimum balance of $10,000. Applicants are also required to show round-trip flight tickets and proof of hotel booking.
The development has elicited mixed reactions from Nigerians, with some criticizing the federal government for accepting the agreement.
One X (formerly Twitter) a Nigerian user questioned the feasibility of the requirements, tweeting, “How many Nigerians have a balance of $10k casually?” This comment reflects skepticism about the UAE’s intentions and the accessibility of the new travel requirements.
