UAE announces visa ban on Ghana, 19 other African countries - reports
Although it is yet unclear the reason for the ban, reports are that African nationals working in the UAE usually overstay their 30-day visit visas.
The United Arab Emirates has slapped a visa ban on Ghana and 19 other African countries, to prevent them from entering Dubai, according to many news reports.
“This is to inform you that we will not be posting 30 days visa applications for these nationalities effective today, October 18, 2022,”.Any applications from the above-mentioned countries will be sent back or cancelled,” UAE authorities reportedly said in a notice issued to trade partners including travel agents.
The other affected countries include Sierra Leone, Sudan, Cameroon, Nigeria, Liberia, Burundi, Republic of Guinea, the Gambia, Togo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Senegal, Benin, Ivory Coast, Congo, Rwanda, Burkina Faso, Guinea Bissau, Comoros, and Uganda.
Although it is yet unclear the reason for the ban, reports are that African nationals working in the UAE usually overstay their 30-day visit visas.
“It has also been said that many on visit visas end up overstaying in the country illegally while working without legalizing their stay in the sand dunes country.
Earlier this year, authorities in UAE introduced a new requirement that all migrant workers from Uganda must present police certificates of good conduct before being allowed into the country. In the same notice, Ugandans and Nigerians travelling to United Arab Emirates were also required to have at least Shs 5 million on their bank accounts in a move aimed at curtailing bad behaviour exhibited by individuals carrying passports from the two countries,” reports African news portal, AllAfrica.
Reacting to the development, some have called it harsh, stating that it would largely affect individuals who travel to the UAE to do business.
This UAE travel ban on some African countries including Ghana is harsh. So if I am a business man and can show travel history of frequent traveling to the UAE still you won’t look at my visa application? Why must countries suffer for something done by few of their citizens?
— Benedict Owusu (@KwesiBenedict) October 25, 2022
