Visa policies and western hypocrisy

In the past two months, three different embassies have refused me visas. Not because I broke any rules or had no "means of livelihood" but because I refused to submit my passport for two weeks at their embassies. The first and third were the embassies of Belgium and Austria in DC; and third was the embassy of Portugal in Abuja. The three trips were all expense paid. Tickets were already bought and hotels reserved by well-established and respected sponsoring institutions. On my own side, I have a fairly impressive travelling record, clearly visible in my three passport booklets. But that matters little as far as those passports are green; the embassies called it a bluff and denied me visas.

The most painful of all is the trip I wanted to make to Portugal. I was invited for the African Development Bank (AfDB) annual meetings and had pre-purchased my ticket before the visa application and also indicated the importance of my visit in the invitation. The visa officer at the embassy of Portugal in Abuja would not hear any explanation. She simply said that she could not attend to any application even when I had more than a week to the event and dropped the phone on me. The AfDB country office in Nigeria intervened and issued me a note verbal. The visa officer was not moved and prevented me from attending the meeting.

Another interesting one happened in Washington DC. It was a trip to Austria. Initially, the officer was cheerful and receptive but as soon as she spotted my green passport, her countenance changed. She later hoodwinked me into paying my non-refundable visa fees only to tell me five days later that I should reschedule my trip. In all the three cases I lost at least $300 each on visa fees, health insurance and transport logistics. From what happened to me, I began to imagine what my compatriots in Nigeria go through to get visas.

I suspect that some of the toughest visa policies in the world exist in Nigeria and for Nigerians. If you visit some embassies in Lagos and Abuja, you will weep at the experience of applicants. They put out a telephone number that is either not working or perpetually busy. When you manage to get through to them, they will be extremely impolite to you. If you have to wait to go in, you will endure the scorching sun or showers of rain as if your life depends on it. Whether you are a governor, senator or minister, you are subjected to the same dehumanizing conditions. After several complaints, some embassies started using vendors to handle the administrative side of the applications. That was only a partial solution. A friend of mine confided in me that he was asked to pay N50,000 for a visa appointment only last week.

Concerned embassy officials should not sit in mute indifference amidst this mindless extortion. These days we hear that as soon the quota is exhausted for the day, no visa officer will screen your application. They will simply pocket your money with the phrase "sorry, we cannot give you a visa at this time". Visa denial costs an applicant sometimes up to $500. Many applicants pay transport, accommodation, visa fees and purchase appointments, only to receive that rehearsed apology. And the story ends there.

I agree that many visa applicants break the rules in Nigeria, in desperation or ignorance. But there are many others who are qualified but whose applications are refused. Many top government functionaries queue in person whenever they need to apply for a visa, even with a note verbal. This is unacceptable and can only happen in Nigeria. Countries like Chad, Gabon and Niger even receive better treatment than Nigerians when it comes to visa issuance. In contrast, many of these foreign embassies in Nigeria raise millions of dollars every year from non-refundable visa fees. Some of the revenue is used to subsidize their embassies.

I am interested in the debate that will put the flow of the so called development aid inflow into Nigeria side by side the amount of money that is raised from visa fees. The visa policies in Nigeria and on Nigerians need further review. We are a country of more than 150 million people with a growing middle class. All those who stand as friends and partners of Nigeria cannot stare helplessly at discriminatory visa policies. Those Nigerians who have genuine travel intentions must be allowed to have a visa without much ado. Some advice that it is time for Nigerian missions abroad to begin to retaliate.

The hassle of international travel now means that many people undertake it only when they have to. Stress free visa application process and less discriminatory visa regime should be permissible in a globalized world that preaches equality. It is not too much to ask for.

Uche Igwe wrote from Africa Program Johns Hopkins University Washington DC via ucheigwe@gmail.com