The Nigeria immigration system is undergoing positive and highly acclaimed changes. Some observers are giving the thumbs-up to the Presidential Adviser on Diaspora Affairs, Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, for the development. News in Africa Online gathers that Nigerians resident abroad intending to travel to their home country do not require entry visa into Nigeria nor are they expected to pay any visa processing fee.
Rather, in-coming Nigerians who are subjected to visa requirements and processing fees are those who carry dual citizenship and who plan to travel to Nigeria with foreign passports other than their Nigerian passports; in line with practice among other countries.
The controversy surrounding the issue borders on the fact that a significant number of Nigerians in the Diaspora hold dual citizenship as they are citizens of the countries where they reside while they also retain their Nigerian citizenship.
Nigerians, who hold dual citizenship and wish to travel to Nigeria with passports of foreign countries are expected to obtain a valid Nigerian visa, pay a visa processing fee as well as submit data enrollment, as is the case for all foreign visa applicants, as Nigerians who wish to travel abroad also go through biometric visa enrollment.
It has been made quite clear that Nigerians resident abroad wishing to travel home can obtain or renew their Nigerian passports at the same relative price paid by Nigerians in Nigeria.
A Chief operating officer for one of the popular tour companies explained it this way, “However, if the Nigerians resident abroad chooses to use their foreign passport to travel to Nigeria, they must then obtain a visa just like every other holder of a foreign passport wishing to travel to Nigeria. This is not unique to Nigeria. This is the same rule that applies with every country that allows its citizens to have dual citizenship”.
The official whose company has offices in Nigeria and the United States and consults for individuals and organisations, including the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, explained that “It is imperative to highlight the need for the introduction of biometric processes in the visa issuance process as a means of addressing contemporary migration issues and challenges”.
He continued, “Foremost in this regard is the issue of security within the context of international terrorism as well as internal insurgency problems. By putting in place a biometric visa regime, governments of issuing countries are able to collect vital biometric information on persons who may pose serious security threats if allowed into their countries, and also take adequate preemptive measures to forestall this”.
Appreciative Nigerian returnees have hailed the Nigeria biometric visa issuance as one of the bold steps taken by the leadership of the Federal Ministry of Interior and the Nigeria Immigration Service in order to put in place a world class modern migration management system. In other parts of the world where the biometric visa system has been put in place, the whole process had been solely financed by the host governments of such countries.
