Introduction
Everyone who has been following news of the nation called Nigeria very well would remember that not too distant ago, the Visa Policies of the country was reviewed and revised by the leaders. (You can see this link for the policy: http://bit.ly/2GYjpgL)
This was contrary to the earlier speculations that the policy would not be revised by some people who perhaps were spokespersons for the government. However, I think the government after much consideration and seeing how recession is biting hard on her citizens with little that can be done to reverse the issue, knowing full well that Crude Oil globally is on the downward trend no thanks to technology advancements and other countries discoveries of oil blocks in their lands.
Some of those countries were erstwhile being supplied oil to by Nigeria and since such could not be supplied oil to again, market or sales of crude oil has reduced with meagre income coming for the country whose population keeps increasing despite the terrorists and terrorism activities in the nation.
In this article I just want to say few things about what the nation’s leaderships have arrived at on reviewing the nation’s visa after serious deliberations.
Definition of Visa
Google defines Visa as an endorsement on a passport signifying that the holder can enter, leave or stay for a specified period in a country.
Visa is an acronym with each letter standing for a word and the words are as follows. V stands for Visitors; I stands for International; S stands for Stay and A stands for Admission.
Visa is derived from the Latin word which is Charta Visa(which means paper that has been seen). It is a document issued by a country to a person to formally ask the traveling country for permission, with specific reason for a stipulated amount of time. (www.quora.com)
Stamps are always placed on a person’s passport at the embassy.
Differences between Visa and Passport
One of the contributors to The Light Magazine was conducting a survey on the citizens knowledge about Visa and Passport in 2019 and what he came up with was intriguing, because he discovered that many people in about three selective regions of the South West of the Nation did not know the difference between Visa and Passports.
From his statistical findings, do I wish to write this that, there is a difference between visa and passport.
The foremost difference between a visa and a passport is that a visa is an endorsement placed within a passport that grants the holder official permission to enter, leave or stay in a country for a specified time period. While a passport is an identity Card that is issued by the immigrations of a country to her citizens that can be carried around to show the citizen of the country the person is and could be used to apply for traveling at embassies. This type of passport is different from the National Identity card that individuals can take around within a country.
What Visa is Not
It is not a residential permit issued after getting to the country,
It is not a Passport (International),
Application Method
Could be applied for in advance or gotten at the entrance of the country. Currently, travellers wishing to enter another country apply in advance for a visa, sometimes in person at a consular office, by post, or over the internet. It its by internet the applicant will print out the document before entering the country. Some countries do not require visitors to apply for a visa in advance for short visits.
It can be revoked at any time,
Using agents: these agencies are approved by the overseas authority, embassy, or consulate to represent international travellers who are unable or unwilling to travel to the embassy and apply in person. These people collect additional fees to carry out the work for the person.
In case there is no embassy of the country a visitor is planning to go in his country he would have to travel to a third country to apply there.
Most countries to avoid illegal migrants would want to know assuredly if the applicant would be returning to his country after the trip.
Advantages of applying for visa aheadis that it would give the countries the chance to deliberate on the applicant’s circumstances such as financial, security, reason for travel, and details of previous visits to the country. In some instances, the visitor would also undergo some tests to confirm what they have stated. Some countries issue “exit” visa to visitors and their citizens before they can leave the country.
History of Visa
First Visa issued happened around 450 BC when Nehemiah was issued paper by “Artaxerxes the king”he was serving to be allowed to travel and pass through some countries.
“And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertained to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.”(Neh 2:8)
In 19th and early 20th centuries, visas were generally not required for traveling in the western Europe but after the world war it changed.
Before this time, passports and visas were same for traveling, but now, they are different documents.
There are visa free countries, those countries are into partnership with other countries allowing their citizens to enter their countries without visa. Like America and Canada.
Visa Photo
In applying for visa, you indubitably need to submit passport photo with other documents at the embassy. These are expected in your visa photo.
(i) Visa Photographs showing your face,
(ii) You are not allowed to wear eyeglasses neither sunglasses except for medical reasons,
(iii) Photo should be recent,
(iv) Background should be white or off-white
(v) Your jewelries should not hide the features of your face
(vi) Your facial expression should be nonaligned,
(vii) Your eyes must be opened, and mouth closed
Different Types of Visa.
It is good to know that there are different types of visa that are being issued to travelers and this is based on the papers presented at the embassy showing what the person wants to go and do in the country he intends traveling to. The most common visa types are tourist, student, work and transit visas.
1. Transit Visa
Given for passing through a country, its duration ranges from hours to ten days. Examples are Airside transit visa (for passing through the airport of some country), Crew member, steward, or driver visa (issued to people trained in international transportation). It is not a working visa.
2. Short Stay Visas
As the name implies it is issued to those who will not be staying long in the country. These include:
(i) Tourist Visa: for leisure, no business activities
(ii) For Medical conditions: for diagnostic and treatment
(iii) Private visas: invitation to visit
(iv) Athletics and artisticVisa: for sports or arts works
(v) Pilgrimage Visa: for those on religious purposes to Saudi Arabi, Jerusalem and now to some religious centers in Nigeria
(vi) Business visa: For commerce in the country,
(vii) Working Holiday Visa: Allow people to work while on holiday
(viii) Cultural exchange visa: those on exchange program
(ix) Refugee Visa: those fleeing persecution, war, natural disaster and other situation in which their lives are at risk,
(x) Digital Nomad visa: for digital nomads who want to momentarily reside in a country while performing distant work. Thailand launched something akin to this focusing entrepreneurs and foreign experts.
3. Long Stay Visas: This lasts for a longer period and its duration is usually specified on it. Visas as these include
(ia) Student Visa: In USA it’s divided into two namely; F-1 allows its holder to study at an institution of higher learning in the issuing country and F-2 visa allows the student's dependents to accompany them in the United States,
(ib) Research Visa: for students doing field works and other researches
(iia) Temporary Worker Visa: for approved employment in the host country, more difficult to obtain but has longer duration than business visa. Examples of these in the United States'H-1B and L-1.
(iib) Journalist Visa: some countries require people in that field to get this. Examples of countries that require this is USA and Cuba,
(iii) Residence Visa: granted to people obtaining long-term residence in the host country. In some countries, it is a necessary step to obtain the status of a permanent residency.
(iii) Asylum Visa: issued to people who have suffered or reasonably fear maltreatment in their own country due to different activities or were exiled from their own country.
4. Immigrant Visas: These are for those who want to settle permanently in the issuing country and could naturalize in the future. Examples are:
(i) Spouse or Partner Visa:issued to spouse, civil partner, to enable the couple to settle in that country.
(ii) Marriage Visa: issued for limited period before the marriage takes place. Example in USA is K-1 visa or fiancée visa.
(iii) Pensioner Visa: this is also called retirement visa. Examples of countries that issue this is Australia, Panama. They do not intend to work in the country and in some cases age limit applies.
5. Official Visas: they are granted to people doing jobs for their governments or representing their countries in the host country. Examples are
(i) Diplomatic Visa: they are available to diplomatic passport bearers alone,
(ii) Courtesy Visas: issued to representatives of foreign governments or international organizations, those who deserve to be treated with courtesy.
6. By Method of Application: Ordinarily visas are to be collected at the embassy of the country in another country, but due to advancements and other reasons there are other means of getting visas which include:
(i) Electronic visas
An electronic visa (e-Visa) is done over the internet, stored in a mobile system and is connected to the passport number so no tag, is placed in the passport before travel. The application and the receipt acts as a visa. Examples of countries with this is Russia, Belarus.
(ii) On-arrival visas: These are granted at the points of entry and they differ from visa-free entry. It is known as Visas on Arrival (VOA)
Visa Entry and duration period
Visas can also be single-entry, which means the visa is cancelled as soon as the holder leaves the country; double-entry, or multiple-entry, which permits double or multiple entries into the country with the same visa.
Visa extensions
Many countries have a mechanism to allow the holder of a visa to apply to extend a visa.
Visa run
Some foreign visitors sometimes engage in what is known as a visa run: leaving a country—usually to a neighbouring country—for a short period just before the permitted length of stay expires, then returning to the first country to get a new entry stamp in order to extend their stay ("reset the clock").
Visa refusal: Visa may be refused due to one or all of the followings:
- Fraud, deception on the application form of the person,
- criminal record, or pending criminal charges,
- a threat to national security,
- no good moral character,
- Previous visa/immigration violations
- Previous visa refusal that cannot be proved to have expired,
- Cannot prove to have strong tie to their nationality/country,
- intends to reside or work permanently in the country he is applying for but not applying for work visa,
- fails to demonstrate intent to return
- fails to provide enough evidence/documents
- Has no legitimate reason for the journey,
- No adequate means of financial support
- No adequate medical insurance,
- No travel arrangements e.g. transport and lodging
- No health/travel insurance valid for the trip,
- A citizen of a country which the destination country is hostile or at war with,
- has previously visited or wants to visit a country that the destination country is at loggerheads with
- Has communicable diseases,
- Has a passport that expires too soon
Even if a traveller does not need a visa, the above-mentioned criteria can also be used by immigration officials to refuse the traveller entry into the country in question.
Blank passport pages
Many countries require a minimum number of blank pages in the passport being presented, generally one or two pages. Authorization pages, which often appear after the visa pages, are not counted as being available.
Benefits:
There are things to benefit from this reviewed policy according to the government and analysts.
1. Change in Passport Status:Last year, I read that Nigeria passport ranks among the weak passports globally, but with this there would be review to the position of Nigeria passport globally.
2. Improve our Economy:It is no gain saying that if this can effectively be carried out by the government and it does not stand on the pages of the news media alone which is characteristically of Nigeria and Nigerians, our economy would change because as foreigners come for tourists, hotels, and other things would change in the state being visited with the welfare of the citizens improved upon since they would be spending money here without drawing from the economy of the nation.
3. Universities Would Benefited:Other means through which we can also benefit from this, is our private institutions of higher learning in the land would have more applicants from foreign lands applying for studies here.
Those private institutions who have been grappling with financial crises of how to pay their members of staff salaries and other things because of low students patronage and intake would not have this to bother them again because they would have many offers from intending students from across the world who would be interested in coming here.
If students from other countries weigh the tuition fees being paid in those private universities here with that of other countries, across the globe, those people would discover that coming here would pay off because they would pay less and achieve maximum education, attain their degree to time.
4. Improved Research:Those who come here would help in developing the nation by their research works. When they research into some things in the nation and submitted their reports to the necessary authorities our nation would equally benefit from this apart from the possibility of receiving international awards too.
5. Open Doors for International Investments: Some people have been viewing the nation, Nigeria and Nigerians in a black light for long. No thanks to the recent instabilities in some parts of the country due to terrorism. But when some people visited this nation, they would have another perspective about our country, because as the Yoruba’s adage says, “Ọrọ òkèrè bí kò bá dín kan yíó sì lé ìkan” (translation hearsay if it is not added to, it would be deducted from). Many things have been said and are in print about the inhabitants of Nigeria that are not true. Thus, when people come themselves, perhaps on tourist like this they would access us and our land better.
6. Crime Would Probably be Reduced: The Fraudulent People on the Internet would be gotten to and arrested with relative ease. Many people are being duped easily because of stringent policies attached to Nigeria visas, but when something like this is possible and the people know coming here would not attract much difficulties the person would take the risk of coming here than just sending money to fraudulent people who would dupe them.
7. Inter-cultural Exchange:There would be intercultural exchanges among the people with ease in the land. There are people who want to know more about the culture of our lands but this is near impossible because no such fora exist for their trip with ease to the land, however when this is being implemented, they would be able to come and within limited space of time would have garnered the needful things about our culture while we also get some about their cultures too.
8. More Jobs would be Created:We have been talking about job creation, job creation and people have been saying that businesses is the in-thing, but those businesses are not thriving because money is not in circulation. But if something like this happens, more jobs would be created, because those grappling with salary payment and retrenching their staff would not retrench them again but in the stead employ more staff, and by this the more jobs would be created.
9. Income per capital would increases: It is a fact that the income per head per hour of the country is infinitesimally low and that is why corruption is high, but with this, and the inflow of money in foreign currencies, the income per capital would change, thus limiting corruption among the people and there would be less craving for government work among the citizenry.
10. Would reduce emigration:When the income per capital per person changes, I am assured that this would stem the tide of emigration of the citizens of the country. People are migrating out of the country not because they love what they want to go and meet at other countries, because virtually all the people who migrated out would have made some inquiries into where they are going, but because a suffering is more preferable than the other that is why people leave. Now, when the income per head changes, it is certain that the rate of emigration would be reduced.
11 Infrastructural Facilities and Transportation would be improved Upon: No government whose tax is being paid well would not want to improve on the infrastructural facilities of her Local government, state and or nation. Even if the person is a wicked person since he would have people who will be offering his suggestions, he would one day listen to their suggestion and work on what they have said. What I am trying to say is that the transportation and other infrastructural facilities within the country would be improved because they would have generated more money to execute such projects.
12. Death Reduced: I was listening to officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in my church yesterday and the officials say the rate of death through road accidents have increased. Now if new roads are constructed with those in existence repaired, this rate of deaths would be reduced drastically.
13. Longevity increased:The life span of the populace would be improved because when the income of the populace has improved to go to hospital and get the needful medical health cares would not be a difficulty. Thus, the lifespan of the citizen would change. Many people die today because by the time they present themselves at the clinic or hospitals their diseases would have reached the advanced stages such that medical personnel cannot do anything about their conditions other than waiting for when they would die. However, if they have been presented early at the clinic, such would have been arrested and would be better managed with their health improved upon and their lifespans increased.
14. More Millionaires Would be Created/Produced: Many of the acclaimed millionaires in Nigeria are those who are close to the government, they are government made millionaires. But if the Government can make do with what she has said, there would be more millionaires produced in the nation, those who have little or no affiliations with the government of the land. Thus, we would be able to talk like other nations of the world that we, our country is also producing millionaires.
15. Would Learn from Others:One of the leaders of Canada says, their country is improving because they are learning from other people they are allowing into their country. Now, our country could also learn like this if this can be allowed to thrive in the nation. When we continue to recycle our knowledge there would be limited growth, but when we allow for knowledge of others, we shall make appreciable progress, politically and otherwise.
16. Inter-racial Marriage:It may be a hard saying, but it is the truth some are not designed by God to marry from their race, but when something like this has not been in place they have been married to those whom they are not designed to be married to. But if this policy can see the light of the day, such people would be able to marry people from outside of their race and culture.
Counsel to the Authorities: One of the chief weaknesses of our country is that we make good policies, but we do not implement them, those policies just stay on the pages of the media alone and sooner than expected, would die natural deaths.
This has eaten to the fabrics of the nation and that is why you see virtually all establishments in the nation not working religious establishments not exempted because that is what we all are doing, making a policy and would not follow it up, would not allow it to grow beyond the point where it has been made.
If we can grow beyond this and make this work, I am confident that the story of the nation would change within fractions of months in all respects.
Nigeria is long overdue to move out of her present position globally, we have been circling and circling the same position for a while, but with this I believe we can make some advancements in all spheres of our undertakings as a nation.
Comments