FG targets 48-hour visa processing timeline for foreigners
The Federal Government is targeting 48-hour maximum visa processing timeline for foreigners coming into Nigeria.
According to the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, the government will ensure that foreigners seeking visas into the country get the document within 24 to 48 hours after application.
Tunji-Ojo stated this while declaring open a training session on E-visa for 162 officers drawn from various formations across the country in Abuja, on Friday.
He said, “We want a scenario where it becomes easier for people to come into Nigeria. We want to be able to open our borders for economic participation, tourism and all short-stay visas.
“Let’s allow people to come, and let’s not do that by compromising national security, and we believe sincerely that we can get a fair mix of both in terms of convenience and national security.
“So, the whole idea of the E-visa solution, is where people will be able to apply and get their visas electronically and from application to approval. I think most of the time it should be within 24 hours or a maximum of 48 hours.
The minister told the participant to buckle down for the task ahead, adding, “Because you’re going to be responsible for the turnaround, in terms of user experience, we don’t want people to wait forever to get visas to Nigeria.”
Speaking earlier, the NIS Comptroller General, Kemi Nana-Nandap, described the training exercise as significant, adding that the selected officers had been thoroughly vetted.
“Not only are we doing proper and thorough vetting, but we’re also going to make sure that we have the documentation being warehoused, and not just warehoused, but warehoused with NIS,” she said.
