By Ghazali Ibrahim
The Qatari Ministry of Interior has rolled out new visa regulations for Nigerian travellers.
It cites an increase in cases of overstaying as the primary reason for the changes.
The updated rules, which take effect immediately, have introduced more stringent conditions for visa approvals, particularly affecting solo male travellers.
According to a travel advisory issued by TravelTank, one of Nigeria’s leading travel agencies, the new policy requires Nigerian applicants to secure a confirmed return transfer and book a hotel before their tourist or transit visa applications can be processed.
Additionally, only five-star hotel bookings will now be accepted for visa qualification, significantly raising the bar for prospective travellers.
Perhaps the most controversial of the new measures is the restriction of eligibility to females and family units.
Nigerian males are no longer permitted to apply for Qatari visas unless they are accompanied by their family, a move that has sparked conversations around gender bias and potential discrimination.
These new requirements also apply retroactively to all pending visa applications, leaving many Nigerians unsure about the fate of their travel plans.
This development adds to a growing list of challenges facing Nigerian passport holders as more countries tighten entry requirements in response to immigration and compliance concerns.
