The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has banned the issuance of Dubai visit visas to citizens of The Gambia and 19 other countries, effective immediately. The affected countries are all African nations, include The Gambia, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Cameroon, Nigeria, Liberia, Burundi, Republic of Guinea, Togo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Senegal, Benin, Ivory Coast, Congo, Rwanda, Burkina Faso, Guinea Bissau, and Comoros.

The UAE government has stated that this measure is necessary to address immigration-related challenges. It is unclear what specific challenges the government is referring to, but the ban comes amid a broader crackdown on immigration in the UAE.

This is not the first time that the UAE has imposed visa restrictions on African nationals. In 2022, the government announced that it would no longer issue visit visas to Nigerians under the age of 40. The government also introduced a number of other measures to make it more difficult for Nigerians to obtain visas, such as requiring them to provide bank statements and letters of invitation from UAE residents.

The latest visa ban is likely to have a significant impact on people from the affected countries. Many people travel to the UAE for business, tourism, and to visit family and friends. The ban will make it much more difficult for these people to travel to the UAE.

It is also important to note that the UAE is a major hub for transportation and trade. The visa ban is likely to have a negative impact on businesses and economies in the affected countries.

The UAE government has not announced any exceptions to the visa ban. However, it is possible that the government will make exceptions for certain categories of people, such as business travelers and students.

The UAE’s decision to ban the issuance of Dubai visit visas to citizens of 20 countries is a controversial one. Some people have argued that the ban is discriminatory and that it will harm the people of the affected countries. Others have argued that the ban is necessary to protect the UAE’s borders and national security.