IN SHORT: A viral message claims that Qatar has imposed new restrictions barring male Nigerian passport holders from the country, unless they are travelling with their families. But Qatari officials have refuted the claim.
“Qatar restricts visas for Nigerian men travelling alone,” reads the headline of one of multiple media reports about what are supposedly fresh visa restrictions on Nigerians.
The viral claim appears on several Facebook posts, some including a document which claims to list the new requirements for Nigerians applying for visas to Qatar, a small country on the Arabian Peninsula.
The document appears to have been sent by a travel agency, Travel Tank, to its “valued client”. It reads:
The Qatar Ministry of Interior has announced updated visa regulations for Nigerian travelers, following recent cases of overstays. Please take note of the requirements below:
Key Changes Effective Immediately
- Mandatory Return Transfer
A confirmed return transfer must now be booked alongside your hotel before your tourist visa can be processed.
- Restricted Eligibility
Only females or families may apply. Male travelers are no longer eligible unless accompanied by their family
- Hotel Requirement
Only 5-star hotels are now accepted for visa qualification.
Important: These requirements apply to all pending visa approvals.
The claim also appears here, here and here. (Note: See more instances at the end of this report.)
In the past few years, Nigerians have faced increasing visa restrictions from countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and the United Arab Emirates.
In July 2025, the UAE imposed stricter visa requirements on Nigerians, including that Nigerian applicants aged 18 to 45 cannot travel alone to be considered for tourist visas to the UAE and those older than 45 must submit personal bank statements showing a minimum monthly balance of US$10,000 or its naira equivalent for the six months preceding the application.
But has Qatar also restricted visas for Nigerian men travelling alone? We checked.
Qatar refutes the claim, no evidence on Hayya
The BBC Pidgin quoted an official from Qatar's ministry of interior as saying the Middle Eastern country issued no such visa restrictions on Nigerians.
Hayya is Qatar's digital platform for e-visa services. We checked Hayya on 15 September, about a week after the claim began to circulate, and found no recent changes in the visa requirements for Nigerians.
The platform confirmed that Nigerians are eligible for the “A1” tourist visa, without restricting the applicant's gender.
Hayya said Nigerian applicants must provide hotel reservations or information about their host in Qatar, but did not demand a five-star hotel reservation.
There is no evidence to support the claim that Qatar's interior ministry has issued visa restrictions that bar Nigerian men from travelling to the Middle Eastern country alone.
The same claim was found here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.
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