Nigeria adopts e-Visa process to issue visa-on-arrival to high calibre foreign nationals who wish to invest in the country as well as for tourists.
Nigeria is introducing an online procedure for the processing of Visa-On-Arrival applications from May 13, according to the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).
This forms a part of the country’s border projects, to aid easy and migration and transparency in the system. The new online based platform enables visitors to use the Internet to apply, pay and receive approval for a visa to enter Nigeria without speaking with a consular officer.
This provides visitors a means of avoiding obscure procedures as prior to this, they had to forward their applications for visa via email or hard copy to the Comptroller General for approval. But now, upon arrival in Nigeria, they would only need to present their approval letter, passport, evidence of payment, evidence of accommodation in Nigeria and other necessary procedures would be carried out.
Visa-on-Arrival is a class of short visit visa issued at the port of entry. The facility is available to frequently travelled high net worth investors who may not be able to obtain visas in their countries of residence due to the absence of a Nigerian mission in those countries or exigencies of urgent business travels.
Online visa application is now an essential component of a modern, integrated border management system. Several African countries have put in place e-visa services for foreign nationals. They include countries such as Angola, Benin, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Gabon, Kenya, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. This puts to question why Nigeria is just effecting it now.
The process is not only key to enhancing both security and convenience but also to facilitate arrival processes, minimize airport congestion and curb visa overstays.
In addition, the introduction of this more convenient visa application process can stimulate both tourist and business travels. Interested tourists/investors might love to come to Nigeria but if it means waiting in a visa queue and going through stacks of processes they might just simply choose a more convenient option – which the online Visa application now provides.
“The Comptroller-General of Immigration Muhammad Babandede, hereby calls on genuine investors to take advantage of the innovation as it improves migration and transparency in the system in line with the Federal Government’s policy of Ease of Doing Business.”
Sunday James, NIS PRO.
Hence with the influx of potential investors comes the economic benefit and job creation that flows to our economy.
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