VICTORIA, Seychelles – The Republic of Seychelles has abruptly suspended short-term visa applications for Nigerian passport holders, putting an end to a long-standing visa-free agreement that previously allowed Nigerians entry without a visa for up to 30 days.
The change was made public when a travel content creator shared a screenshot of a rejection mail sent by Seychelles authorities via Twitter.
“We regret to inform you that your application has been denied, as per immigration regulation, for now we are not accepting any Nigerian passport holder for holiday purposes. Kindly contact Seychelles Immigration or call 248 4 293 636 for more information,” the screenshot read.
In her Twitter post on Saturday, July 8, 2023, the content creator remarked, “It seems Seychelles just placed a ban on Nigerian passport holders. Having a Nigerian passport means you can postpone travel plans until you become Bill Gates and immigration policies will be like ‘Dey play’.”
It seems Seychelles just placed a ban on Nigerian passport holders. The thing with having a Nigerian passport is you can be postponing travel plans until you become Bill Gates and immigration policies will be like “ Dey play” pic.twitter.com/UroivUEjGM
— MunafromTravelletters (@Munachimsoooo) July 8, 2023
The suspension comes as a surprise, especially considering the fact that it was only six months ago that Nigeria signed an agreement for direct flights between the two nations.
This visa ban is a significant shift in relations between Nigeria and Seychelles, which up until now had maintained cordial travel agreements.
The move has generated widespread concern, especially among the travel and tourism industry and among Nigerians who frequently visit the popular holiday destination.
The Seychelles government has yet to provide an official statement or clarification regarding the reasons behind this sudden change in its immigration policy.
The Nigerian government also has not publicly responded to this new policy shift.
With this unexpected ban, many in Nigeria are left questioning the circumstances that led to this decision, and what it could mean for future relations between the two nations.
As the story unfolds, many eyes will be on Seychelles and Nigeria for further developments.
