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Tag: passport

  • NIS set to launch Passport to Safe Migration

    NIS set to launch Passport to Safe Migration

    The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) says all arrangements are now in place to launch its enlightenment handbook called Passport to Safe Migration with Edo state picked as a pilot city for the launch.

    The new Comptroller of the NIS, Edo State Command, Mr. Kayode Eniolohunda revealed this when himself and other senior officials of the Service paid a courtesy visit to Governor Godwin Obaseki at the Government House, Benin City, the Edo State Capital.

    The Edo State Comptroller of the NIS expressed the Command’s support for the governor’s policies, far-reaching reforms as well as the fight against illegal migration.

    “We hope to launch this programme in collaboration with other stakeholders, particularly the Edo State Taskforce on Human Trafficking, which has done wonderfully well within the short period of its establishment,” he said.

    Receiving the NIS entourage, Governor Obaseki reiterated the state government’s commitment to curbing the menace of human trafficking and illegal migration.

    Obaseki noted that his administration will be counting on the support of the Service, particularly in the areas of investigation and prosecution.

    He said, “With the feelers we have received so far, we are confident that human trafficking will be reduced by at least 50 percent before the end of this year.

    “We are encouraged by the support received from the European Union and have agreed to have a conference in the state before June this year, where we will reveal all the steps taken to deal with human trafficking and illegal migration.”

    He said he has directed the local governments to secure office spaces for officers of the Service to enable them integrate properly into the state’s security architecture.

    The governor added that he will continue to work with the Service to secure Visas and other necessary documents for foreign investors coming into the state for business.

     

  • Saraki tasks Immigration CG on availability of Passport booklets

    Saraki tasks Immigration CG on availability of Passport booklets

    President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, on Monday, urged the authorities of the Nigeria Immigration Service to work to ensure the availability of the international passport in view of the hardships often encountered by Nigerians who daily apply for the document.

    Saraki who gave the charge while commissioning a new passport office at the National Assembly described as worrisome a situation where Nigerians who apply for international passports have to wait for a long time before the passports are delivered to them.

    The President of the Senate, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Sanni Onogu, however, lauded the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Muhammad Babandede, for the “good initiative” of locating a passport office at the National Assembly.

    Saraki noted that the establishment of the passport office at the National Assembly “will help to further strengthen the relationship between the legislative arm of government and the executive.”

    “Be that as it may, I believe that what is important to us as we get to understand their challenges is the concern we have as representatives of the people over the unavailability of passports where Nigerians have to wait a long time for passports to be delivered to them and the efficiency of it too,” he added.

    “I hope that the Comptroller General of Immigration will work to see how we can improve on this so that Nigerians can have their passports as at when due,” Saraki said. “I have traveled to a few countries and one of the complaints we get is the issue of unavailability of passport booklets.”

    He commended the CG of of NIS for the initiative and would continue to support the agency to improve on its services and ensuring that adequate passports are available for Nigerians who need them.

    “We will continue to support you to see what we can do in improving your efficiency and making the passport booklets readily available to Nigerians as at when they need passport renewal,” Saraki said.

    On his part, the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Muhammad Babandede, thanked the President of the Senate for commissioning the centre, an initiative he said is meant to further strengthen the good relations between the executive and the legislative arms of government.

    “Now that the Senate President has commissioned this Passport Office, it will now be easier for members of the National Assembly to get their passports issued or renewed. They no longer need to come to our office along the Abuja Airport Road for that,” Babandede said.

  • Singapore international passport ranks ‘world’s most powerful’ – Report

    The Singapore passport has been ranked the “most powerful” in the world, according to the Global Passport Index released on Wednesday by global advisory firm Arton Capital.

    The ranking is based on a “visa-free score,” which tabulates the number of countries a particular passport-holder can travel to without requiring a visa or a visa on arrival.

    The Singapore passport topped the list with a visa-free score of 159, narrowly beating the German passport with a score of 158 and the Swedish passport with 157.

    The list is usually dominated by European passports, with Germany holding the top position for the last two years.

    However, Paraguay’s removal of visa requirements for Singapore passport holders propelled it to the top of the list in 2017.

    “For the first time ever, an Asian country has the most powerful passport in the world.

    “It is a testament of Singapore’s inclusive diplomatic relations and effective foreign policy,” Arton Capital Managing Director Philippe May said.

    Other Asian countries that made it into the top 20 include South Korea, Japan and Malaysia.

    Meanwhile, the U.S. passport has taken a tumble in rankings since President Donald Trump took office, following decisions by Turkey and the Central African Republic to revoke visa-free entry for U.S. passport-holders.

     

     

    dpa/NAN

  • Stolen passport saga: Stephanie Coker laments

    Media personality, Stephanie Coker has lamented over the mediocre services of the Nigerian embassy. The newly wed beauty who lost her international passport has expressed her grievances on social media, crying out over the poor service rendered by the embassy.

    She wrote on Twitter:” Only the Nigerian embassy would not be able 2 assist you when ur passport has been stolen. Hw can the person issuing Ec’s be off on Monday”

    Recall that Stephanie recently got married to her beau, Olumide Aderinokun, in a warm affair held on the Greek island of Mykonos.

     

  • FG explores local production to ease scarcity of Passport booklets

    The‎ Federal Government says it is seriously exploring the local production of passport booklets in the country as part of plans to safe cost and ease the lingering scarcity of the document.

    Mr Sunday James, spokesperson for the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja.

    NAN reports that the passport booklet is presently being produced‎ by Iris Smart Technology Nigeria (ISTL) through its parent company, Iris Corporation based in Malaysia.
    ‎
    James said that‎ the Minister of Interior, retired LT.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau had directed for the domestication of the production of the passport booklets in the country.

    He, however, did not give details of the directive, claiming that he was not to be preview to it‎.

    James assured that notwithstanding the measure, the NIS was working round the clock to ensure sustained delivery and distribution of the booklets across all its commands in the country.

    “The Comptroller-General of the Immigration Service, Muhammad Babandede, wishes to inform the general public and most especially those who have approached our Passport
    Processing Centres of recent, that the Service now has standard Passport Booklets in sufficient quantity for issuance.

    “All Passport Control Officers have been directed to clear the backlog of outstanding applications,” he said.‎
    ‎
    Mr Ehisienmen Osaigbovo, the Press Secretary to the Minister of Interior,told NAN that the minister was committed to resolving all issues relating to the passport production.‎
    ‎
    Osaigbovo said that the minister had set up a committee, headed by the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to look into the local production of the document and resolve the challenge posed by its scarcity.

    He said the committee was also charged with the responsibility of exploring ways of starting the local production of the passport booklets, in view of the numerous advantages.

    “You know if we produce the booklets locally, we will be safeguarding the critical database of Nigerians, safe foreign exchange and create more employment,” he said.

    He further said the committee was set up to iron out all the legal issues associated with the current contract with ISTL with a view to ensuring local production and involving the Nigeria Security Printing and Minting Company in the production.

    NAN investigation reveals that ISTL had in 2016 requested an upward review of the price of obtaining the passports‎ due to what it termed the increased cost of production and falling exchange rate of the naira to the dollar.
    ‎
    Nigerians all over the country and abroad have continued to complain about the delay in getting and renewing their international passport due to the scarcity of the passport booklets.

  • Just in: ‘New passport holders now need NDLEA certificate to travel…’

    Just in: ‘New passport holders now need NDLEA certificate to travel…’

    Nigerians with new passports seeking to travel to Indonesia will need to present a certificate of recommendation from the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, among other documents to process their visas.

    Indonesian Ambassador to Nigeria, Harry Purwanto, who told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, said that that the new visa policy, was in line with global measures to promote safety for its citizens.

    He said that it was reviewed in October 2016.

    He, however said that it was easier for those with frequently used passports, to get visas.

    He explained that applicants seeking to travel to Indonesia also need to be invited or have certain recommendations to visit that country.

    The envoy added that the policy had made visa application process for Nigerians “quite tough” but added that it was for the safety of all.

    “We (the embassy) could authorise the issuance of visas without having to get in touch with Jakarta but since Oct. 2016, we have to send visa applications from here to Jakarta for approval.

    “We here can make only recommendations on visa applications, especially if applicants have programmes to undertake in Indonesia, but it is at the discretion of authorities in Jakarta to approve the visas that will be issued.

    He also said that about 2000 visas were issued to Nigerians in 2016.

    Purwanto also said that in 2015, the embassy issued 2000 visas.

    He further said that both countries were working on programmes that could enhance people-to-people relations adding that such relations would promote understanding between both cultures.

    “We have about 50 Nigerian students in Indonesia, some under scholarship, and they serve as ambassadors for Nigeria there.

    “The Nigerian community in the country is not so large that is why crimes committed by a few could tarnish the image of others.”

    Purwanto, however, assured that both governments were working to change such bias.