By Emmanuel Kwada
The Qatari Ministry of Interior has refuted claims of imposing new visa restrictions on Nigerian passport holders, including a rumored travel ban on male applicants. In a statement to BBC Pidgin on Wednesday, a ministry official emphasized, “There are no restrictions on Nigerians seeking to visit Qatar,” confirming that the visa process remains unchanged.
The country’s digital visa platform, Hayya, also clarified, “There has been no suspension or changes to the current procedures. Any updates will be announced on our official platforms.”
The denial follows confusion sparked by a flyer from TravelTank, a Nigerian travel support firm, which listed new requirements: mandatory return transfers and hotel bookings, eligibility limited to female travelers and families, and a 5-star hotel condition for visa approval. The flyer, attributing the changes to frequent overstays by Nigerians, urged compliance to avoid delays.
There are no restrictions on Nigerians seeking to visit Qatar
While the ministry dismissed the travel ban, the flyer has raised questions about possible informal adjustments to address visa abuse concerns.
