S’Africa Approves 50,665 Visa Applications for Nigerians

Posted on | december 21, 2011 | No Comments

South African High Commission in Nigeria has approved 50, 665 visas for Nigerian in the past one year after outsourcing the issuance of entry documents to the country.

Breaking down the figures in weekend during the commemoration of one year of partnering VFS Global for this project, the country’s high commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Kingsley Mamabolo Lagos centre which received the 44,443 applications got 34,692 approvals while Abuja which received 16,618 applications got 15, 973 approvals.

The high commissioner who was represented by the counsellor immigration, Ms Tampane Molefe-Sefanyetso, also disclosed a spike in the number of applications the VFS were able to process daily to 200 to 250 on an off the peak season to about 250 to 350 on a peak season compared to 50 to 60 which the high commission was able to process in the past when it handled the process alone.

However, he said an earlier commitment that the visa process will take up to six working day s to finalise witnessed an initial challenge which necessitated their putting some systems in place “in the back office to ensure that our response is within the stipulated time frame.”

He complained of the challenges posed by fraudulent applicants who present false passports and documents. “One of the challenges that we have to deal with at any given time is the submission of less authentic (fraudulent, forged) documentation by the applicants; situations where applicants misrepresent themselves.” he said adding that this can happen in four out of every ten applications processed.

According to the envoy, it can take a minimum of two days to a maximum of ten days to process and finalise an application.

He said some applicants failed to turn up to claim their travel document which resulted in the centre having 350 uncollected passports which have been sent to Nigerian Immigrations Service (NIS).

In his judgement, visa issuance has improved considerably with a well organised environment where an applicant is attended to in a professional, humane and respectable manner.

The new regime, he said, has created an atmosphere where the use of touts and agents by applicants became unnecessary even as the two centres in Lagos and Abuja serve applicants every day for the submission of visa applications as well as collection of passports.

This, he continued, varies from the past when intending travellers were attended to on certain days of the week and the two centres also provide a one stop shop which enables the applicant submit their applications, make photocopies when required as well as make visa payments at the implant GTbank.

He explained further that information is readily available and staff of VFS are able to clarify and advise where possible just as the facility provide for an executive lounge for those clients who need urgent attention. “As you may recall, we also have value adding services that were aimed at improving the services to the applicants. These included amongst others, the sms alert, the track and trace system, (computer enabled); as well as the call centre.” he stressing that the call centre was set up to allow the applicants to send their queries/complaints/enquiries.

AUTHOR: Paul Ohia
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