TheNewsGuru

Tag: VISA

  • Abramovich visa delay puts Chelsea stadium expansion on hold

    Chelsea’s Russian billionaire owner Roman Abramovich has put the club’s stadium plans on hold after delays to the renewal of his UK visa.

    The estimated cost for a new 60,000 seat Stamford Bridge has increased to £1bn after delays, which included a dispute with a local family.

    Abramovich is unwilling to invest in a major project in a country where he is not allowed work.

    The 51-year-old’s UK investor visa expired some weeks ago.

    But it is understood that Abramovich’s decision will have no impact on the running of the football team.

    The delay in issuing him a new visa comes amid increased diplomatic tensions between London and Moscow after the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal in Salisbury.

    The British government has refused to comment on his individual case.

    Chelsea issued a statement saying the club had delayed work on Stamford Bridge because of “the current unfavourable investment climate”.

    It added: “No further pre-construction design and planning work will occur. The club does not have a time frame set for reconsideration of its decision.”

    Plans were under consideration to move Chelsea matches to Wembley stadium for the four years it would take to redevelop Stamford Bridge.

    Although the future of Wembley is in doubt after Fulham owner Shahid Khan offered £600m to buy the stadium from the Football Association, it is not thought to be a factor in Chelsea’s decision.

    BBC

  • Special Report: ‘We’ll rather die in S/Africa’s xenophobic attacks than be killed by herdsmen in Nigeria‘

    Special Report: ‘We’ll rather die in S/Africa’s xenophobic attacks than be killed by herdsmen in Nigeria‘

    “What exactly are we doing in this country when our lives are daily threatened by arrogant herdsmen who are now renowned for killing unquestioned? Are you not bothered by the several killings in Benue, Zamfara, Kogi, Taraba and other states?

    What has the Nigerian government done about it? Who have so far been arrested? But people are buried in their countries on a daily basis just for being Nigerians? And you want me to be part of those people? That’s over my dead body!”

    These were the exact words of Biodun Ademola (not real names) as I questioned him and several others lined up eagerly on a queue to apply for South African Visa at VFS Global in Lagos on Monday last week.

    I reminded Biodun that other countries had their security, economic among other challenges – South Africa, in particular, was still dealing with xenophobic attacks especially on Nigerians, he impatiently said:

    “Yes I’ve heard and read of xenophobic attacks there but that has subsidized seriously now. Come to think of it, is it not even more justified to defend yourselves against strangers taking up your job and other means of livelihood than to lose your life to an animal in your country? A cow for that matter? If I perish in South Africa of xenophobic attacks, it’ll be more honourable than being hacked to death by a fellow Nigerian for being less valuable than a cow,” Biodun said unapologetically.

    On the fateful day, the number of applicants for both South Africa and Canada Visas were almost in their thousands. A further enquire from the processing company, VFS Global showed that South Africa receives the highest number of applicants with over 230 applications daily.

    VFS Global currently acts as the outsourced partner for the visa applications and processing of South Africa, Canada, Belgium, France, and other countries.

    Applicants including students, artisans, family, etc. start moving in their numbers to the Lekki office as early as 6am daily. They take numbers in order of arrival and would only be attended to by 8am.

    Amazed by the huge numbers of applicants for South Africa visa as against other countries, this reporter further asked a lady who appeared to be rough handled repeatedly by muscular guys queued behind her to jostle for a space ahead as the announcement was made by some security guards that the South African processing centre had received enough application for the day at just 10am! This will mean a repetition of the whole process by the following day. The lady was however determined not to give her space for anyone irrespective of the pressure.

    “Please, I don’t think I can entertain any question now,” She said firmly as I approached her. Feeling determined, I pestered her further, ‘Don’t you think things are not this hard in Nigeria for you to go through this kind of stress just to visit another man’s land as a second class citizen”? I asked knowing well that a thunderous and emotional response will follow.

    “What do you mean by that? Are you blind to the crazy things happening in this country? I know it’s pretty expensive to try UK or America Visa that’s why I decided to go for South Africa’s. From my researches, I know they have quality education and stable academic calendar, good road networks and a stable economy. What else am I looking for? I’ve thought this over and over and my mind is made up. Not even my parents can stop me from getting out of this frustrating place called Nigeria. I’m so done!,” she said sounding irreversible in her decision.

    However, lock ran out on her as officials stopped further consideration of fresh applicants by 10am citing reaching the maximum 230 daily benchmark. However, applicants for other countries were still being attended to because they are relatively low compared to those for South Africa.

    We stand in for applicants, fast track VISA processes – Agents

    As soon as the application timing elapsed, some of the agents who had been lurking around dishing out unsolicited advises and advertisement of their services to applicants offered to help stand in for applicants who might not make it early enough to the centre again the following day; Tuesday.

    One of such, a man in his early thirties looking smartly dressed approached me with the assurances that I can actually stay at home and get my visa processed within two days. He termed it ‘Non appearance.’

    “Bros, sorry you couldn’t get in to start your application. That’s how it happens here daily especially for South African and Canadian applicants. To be selected, you must have gotten here at least by 7am. However, considering the everyday traffic hassles of Lagos, applicants hardly meet up. But since you a working class, you might want to avoid all these stress. We can do it for you. We’ll stand in for you as early as 6am, take a number for you and you can come in to start up from there. Or we can finish the whole process for you without showing at all. Its Non appearance. We will even deliver your passport to you at the convenience of your house or office. All you need is just to supply us all your detailed information, pay us and you are done!,” he said sounding like an advertising guru.

    Asked what the cost implication is, he said: “It depends on the service you are opting for. If you want us to just pick a number on your behalf pending the time you come around to come start your application, we charge N5,000:00. Officially, the minimum time for processing of each application is six (6) days but we have our guys inside who help fast track the application and make it possible to get within two days. For that we charge N70,000:00 aside from the N35,000:00 non refundable processing fee that you pay to VFS Global. Our guys inside charge N65,000:00 while we take the remaining N5,000:00 for bringing business to them. The non-appearance is N150,000:00,” the agent said.

    Prodding further, I asked for the authenticity of claims bearing in mind the ‘Do not patronize touts and agents’ boldly written on the company’s wall. To which he responded: “Bros you don’t have a problem. This thing did not start today. We have done it for countless number of people but it’s all coded. The guys inside do it well and some of them even approach applicants while attending to them at the counter. I’ll give you my number and take you to my shop. I am very popular here and the security guys know us well,’ he assured.

    Deal with touts/agents at your peril – VFS Global

    However, in a swift rebuttal, the processing company, VFS Global warned strictly against dealing with anyone other than staff of the company. An official of the company who preferred speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not officially in position to do so said applicants dealing with touts or so called agents are doing so at their peril. He explained that applicants are treated on a first come, first serve basis daily and that applications and processed visas can’t be received by proxy.

    “Whatever those guys have told you is their own marketing strategy. We’ve continually sounded warnings that no one should patronize them. Several people have complained of how they disappeared with their monies and they are on their own.

    The application is simple enough for anyone to comprehend. Download application form on the VFS Global website. Fill and come for submission from Monday to Friday. For short term (holiday visa) you pay a total processing fee of N34,030 and N56,040:00 for long term (the fee might vary depending on what the applicant is going there for).

    It takes a minimum of six (6) working days to process each visa. We also provide applicants with premium lodge space at an additional fee of N10,000:00. In the lodge, applicants will have unhindered access to photocopy machine, light refreshements and can also seek special clarifications on any issue as regards their applications. However, this is not a guarantee that visa will be processed ahead of other applicants who did not subscribe to use the service.

    Asked if he’s aware that some of the staff collaborate with the agents outside to do shady deals, he said: ‘There nothing of such. They are only saying that to make you fall prey to their antics. Anyone found receiving bribes to in order to give special consideration to particular applicants will be summarily dismissed and handed over to the security agencies,” he said.

  • PDP chieftain, Dokpesi’s U.S. visa revoked over looters list

    PDP chieftain, Dokpesi’s U.S. visa revoked over looters list

    Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain Raymond Dokpesi’s United States (U.S.)visa has ben revoked because his name is on the looters list released by the Federal Government, the media mogul has said.

    He has sued Minister of Information and Culture Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who announced the list, seeking payment of N5billion damages.

    No date has been fixed for hearing the suit filed on Monday before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory.

    He is seeking N5billion damages for alleged defamation of character.

    Dokpesi said the defendants allegedly sent his name as a looter to the United States Embassy, which in turn notified him on March 16 that his visa had been revoked.

    The US Embassy, he said, told him it was because his name was among a looters list submitted to it by the Federal Government.

    The plaintiff said the publication of his name as a looter was malicious since he has not been convicted by any court of competent jurisdiction.

    Dokpesi prayed that the retraction and apology to him be published both in the social media and in newspaper and televisions stations.

    He is also praying for an order compelling the defendants, including Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami (SAN), to publish a full retraction of the defamatory publications and to apologise to him.

    In the suit by his lawyer Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), Dokpesi is also praying for a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants or their agents from further making any defamatory publications against him, and N50million as cost of the action.

    The publications, he said, have prejudiced his constitutionally guaranteed rights to presumption of innocence until proven guilty, and that his right to fair hearing as enshrined in the Constitution has been blatantly violated.

    “The defendants’ defamatory publications are malicious and calculated to overreach and prejudice my fair trial and for purposes of stampeding and cowing the court to convict me at all cost by agreeing with the defendants’ skewed position,” the plaintiff said.

    Dokpesi said on March 30, the defendants allegedly defamed him by publishing his name as treasury looter in a news conference on the basis that he is on trial for allegedly receiving N2.2billion from the office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

  • US to require social media identities of American visa applicants

    The US State Department has said that it plans to require all American visa applicants to submit their social media information.

    Applicants for immigrant and non-immigrant visas, under the proposal, would be required to provide “identifiers” they have used on various social media platforms in the previous five years, in addition to old email addresses and phone numbers, Xinhua news agency quoted the State Department as saying on Thursday.

    According to documents to be published in the Federal Register, the Department said it is seeking public comment on the proposed measures within the next 60 days.

    Previously, social media, email and phone number histories were only required from applicants singled out for extra scrutiny. An estimated 65,000 people a year fall into that category.

    The changes would impact all applicants for immigrant and non-immigrant visas.

    The department estimated that 710,000 immigrant visa applicants and 14 million non-immigrant visa applicants would be affected.

    Only applicants for certain diplomatic and official visa types may be exempted from the requirements, the documents said.

    The changes will need to be approved by the Office of Management and Budget at the White House.

     

  • Top mistakes to avoid during visa interview

    There are avoidable mistakes that may happen during the visa interview that will obviously ruin your chances of being issued a visa. Getting a visa is not difficult. You simply need two things: complete documents and confidence. You will definitely get your visa. However, this is not always the case.

    To forestall these possible problems during your visa interview, Jumia Travel, the leading online travel agency, shares some mistakes to steer clear of.

    Inappropriate answers

    You should be prepared for your visa interview so that you do not give irrelevant and inappropriate answers. If you are not able to predict what visa interview questions are, you will not be able to give genuine and well-thought-out answers for visa officials. That is why it is essential for you to be familiar with the common visa interview questions, to properly plan in your head your answers early enough before the visa interview date.

    Skipping questions or giving false answers

    Whenever you apply for a visa, the interview is simply a way for the diplomatic office to meet with you and understand more in depth if the information provided in the visa application form is correctly offered. Trying to avoid answering questions of the visa official, does not protect you at all. Also, giving fake information does not give you any good result, as the diplomatic office will reconfirm all the information you provide during the interview and in the application form.

    Inappropriate appearance

    The way you appear during your interview, including your outfit, shoes, makeup, body posture and even the amount of perfume you wear can go a long way in determining the outcome of the interview. Remember that the first impression is everything and, usually, you cannot get the second chance to leave the first impression, so give it the needed importance instead of trying to improve it another time.

    Incomplete supporting documentation

    Appearing in the interview half or inappropriately equipped with the needed documentation to support the accuracy of the information provided in the visa application form, will absolutely decrease your chances to get a visa. Instead, make sure to consider early enough all the visa requirements and ensure they are complete.

    Unnecessary information

    If you have been asked a question, make sure to understand it well. Exaggerated answers and not required explanations are not supposed to be given in visa interview. The visa official is not interested in losing a day hearing unneeded and irrelevant information. The official only wants to get specific and clear information that directly asks you.

    Nervousness

    What destroys your answers during the interview, is appearing there full of nervousness. Even though your visa application and supporting documents, as well as your physical appearance, are as they should, nervousness, over-confidence might be destroyers of your interview.

    Lateness

    When you have a visa interview appointment, the embassy or consulate will communicate the exact date and time of it. As such try to arrive at the embassy or consulate where your interview will take place, at least a few minutes earlier. For example, if you have a visa interview at the US embassy, there is no room for lateness the gates open as early as 6: am. It is advisable you book a hotel near the embassy so that you won’t be late.

     

  • Trump urges congress to end U.S. visa lottery

    U.S. President Donald Trump has called on Congress to end the visa lottery programme, citing a Justice Department crackdown on a recipient who abused resident status to finance terrorist activities abroad.

    “Time to end the visa lottery,” Trump said in a Twitter post.

    “Congress must secure the immigration system and protect Americans.”

    Trump linked his message to a Justice Department press release regarding a complaint to revoke the resident status of a visa lottery program recipient who funded global terrorist activities.

    The Justice Department’s complaint said a Sudanese national who gained lawful permanent resident status through the “diversity visa lottery program” ran a non-profit organisation, the Islamic American Relief Agency, and through it funneled money to known terrorist organisations in Iraq and elsewhere.

    Earlier, report revealed that US immigration enforcement arrests shut up 20 per cent in 2017 versus the previous year.

    The report also said that former President Barack Obama’s immigration policy was more narrowly focused on arresting undocumented immigrants convicted of serious crimes.

     

  • China announces visa waiver for nationalities from 53 countries

    China on Thursday announced visa waiver for visitors from 53 countries to Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei for up to six days, state media said on Thursday.

    People’s Daily, the mouthpiece of the Communist Party, said that visitors must enter and exit from one of six ports.

    According to the Economic Times, the waiver goes into effect from Thursday and will impact Germany and other members of the European Union’s passport-free Schengen area, as well as the U.S., Brazil, Mexico, Chile and Argentina.

    Beijing, the capital of China, is a major tourist hub as the home of the Great Wall of China, Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and other important historical monuments.

    Beijing and Tianjin previously allowed visa-free travel for up to 72 hours for certain nationalities.

    The same arrangement continues in 16 other cities, including Shanghai.

    Shenzhen, on the border of Hong Kong, also issues a special five-day visa on arrival for some nationalities.

     

  • Nigerian visa can now be obtained in 48 hours in U.S

    The Nigerian Consulate in New York has said that applicants for the Nigerian visa can now get it in 48 hours with the introduction of the issuance of the biometric visa.

    The acting Consul-General, Tanko Suleiman, who disclosed this at the commencement of the biometric visa processing in New York, said the new process had simplified the issuance of Nigerian visa.

    Suleiman said with the commencement of the biometric visa issuance, no applicant should spend more than 25 minutes to complete his or her enrollment.

    The Nigerian envoy said the Federal Government has appointed Online Integrated Solutions Limited (OIS) as the company to handle the biometric visa project.

    Suleiman appealed to applicants in the U.S. to be courteous and orderly as the new system would finally address any frustrations in obtaining the Nigerian visa.

    “If you are given an appointment for 1 p.m., your appointment will last for only one hour maximum for that day; you can cancel the appointment if you know you can’t make it.

    “However, if you come here an hour after, your appointment is completely cancelled. Therefore, you have to reapply because you are not the only applicant, there are other people.

    “So once you cannot come within that one hour, you will now have to apply for another time,” Suleiman explained.

    The Managing Director of OIS, Mr Abdul Momodu, said with the biometric system, there would be fairness in the visa application process as every applicant would now be approved on a case management system.

    “That case management system can be reviewed in 10 years and it would be tied to the individual application as many times as he applies in the future.

    “This further puts integrity into the system of applying for the Nigerian visa; there were two things that we put into play when we were developing this solution.”

    According to him, one of the advantages of the new system is to simplify the visa application process and make it less cumbersome

    “First of all we want to keep people informed from their point of application to the point of collection.

    “This is so that at every point in time, they are informed through emails and text messages of the status of their application.

    “So once the application leaves our office to the Consulate, the applicant would receive a text message and email.

    “Then once decision is made on the application, he or she will receive a notification and once it is back in our office and ready for collection, there will also be a notification.

    “Be that as it may, we still have a tracking system on our website, in case for any reason, you have no access to your email.

    “In this case, you can go on our website, put your passport number and your reference number and it will also be able to tell you the status of your application,” he said.

  • I’m not running from America, I applied for visa but was denied – Atiku

    I’m not running from America, I applied for visa but was denied – Atiku

    Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said contrary to rumours peddled around, he has been applying for the United States Visa but was denied on administrative grounds.

    The former Vice President revealed this in an interview with The Boss newspaper, published by Dele Momodu.

    “I applied, but wasn’t issued a visa. However, they did not decline me categorically either. They’ve only said my application is going through administrative process,” he said.

    “It is the sole prerogative of America to determine who they want in their country or not. I’m not running away from America,” he stated further.

    The former vice-president said such administrative denials were not unique to him, insisting that President Muhammadu Buhari could not also enter the country for 15 years due to his religious views.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that there had been wide speculations that Atiku’s run in with U.S. authorities stemmed from a broadband contract award to iGate, an America company which Williams Jefferson, then U.S. federal lawamker from Louisiana, had interest in.

    Jefferson was said to have used his political influence and friendship with Atiku to ensure that the contract went smoothly in Nigeria with intentions to pay some kickbacks to Nigerian officials, including the former vice president.

    Jefferson revealed in a secretly recorded conversation with the FBI that Atiku stood to benefit up to $500,000 for helping influence the broadband deal in Nigeria at the time.

    Although Jefferson lost his representative seat and served jail term in America for the deal, Atiku was never prosecuted in Nigeria. It is also not clear if Atiku was indicted in the U.S over the case.

    “On the issue of corruption, I have challenged anyone, anywhere, who has any evidence of corruption against me to come forward. I’m sure they would have combed everywhere trying to find anything incriminating against me, but they have not found it, or they are still searching,” he said.

    Atiku who served as vice-president from 1999-2007 with former President Olusegun Obasanjo has largely been a businessman since retiring from Nigeria Customs Service decades ago.

    He dismissed his critics and contenders as lacking basic entrepreneurial knowledge, hence the reason they despise him for his own business acumen.

    “Let any of those who want to compete with me show what they have managed successfully,” he said.

    The former vice president who recently decamped from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, is tipped to run for Presidency in 2019.

  • FG frowns at visa delay to Nigerians, vows to retaliate

    FG frowns at visa delay to Nigerians, vows to retaliate

    The Interior Minister, Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd) has warned that Nigeria would no longer tolerate delay in issuance of visa to its nationals from any country.

    The minister stated this on Monday in Abuja at a meeting with the Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, to resolve some of the issues militating against visa issuance.

    The meeting also had in attendance, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami and the Comptroller-General of Immigration, Mohammed Babandede.

    Dambazau said that the delay in the issue of visa to Nigerians was becoming an embarrassment and must be resolved.

    “It is embarrassing that one will want visa and will have unnecessary delay from the issuance countries.

    “We as a country needs to take our stand; we should deal with any country the way they deal with us on visa issuance.

    “They should not think that we need them more than they need us,” he said.

    Babandede, at the end of the meeting also corroborated Minister of Interior’s stand on the issue.

    He said: “What we are saying is that we as a country, we would also like to retaliate.

    “Anybody who delays visa for our nationals, we would also do the same as a country because we have a pride as a nation.”

    The Comptroller-General, however, said that Nigeria was committed to ensuring that business was done normally with friends of the country.

    “We are committed to issue visa on time and passport to our nationals wherever they are”.

    Earlier, Onyeama said that the meeting was to enhance ease of doing business in the country.

    He, however, noted that the nation was still having challenges regarding consular services.

    Onyeama said the parley was to see how in conjunction with sister ministries, the nation could find solutions to the challenges.

    “As part of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council, the issue, as you know, some of the deliverables are there and it is for consular services that we also have to work hard together.

    “So, we have always felt that we should all try and be speaking to each other.

    “The Ministry of Interior, Immigration Services and ourselves, our embassies and missions and consulates are all working other one roof,” he said.