US Introduces New Visa Procedure
The United States government has
announced a new Visa procedure at its diplomatic mission in
Nigeria.
The US Consulate-General’s
spokesperson, Chief Debra Heien, explains the new visa
application system in Lagos, saying that henceforth, applicants
would be required to undergo a 10-finger scan.
According to her, this measure is
intended to discourage the practice of touts filling the
available spaces and charging fees from applicants desperate for
an appointment.
The Procedure
Heien said that from Monday,
October 15, 2007, applicants would be able to log on to the visa
section of its website, http://nigeria.usembassy.gov, from 10
a.m. to fill an online application form and book an appointment.
She advised applicants to ensure
that they fill the visa forms with the exact name on their
passports.
Caution
Heien gave an assurance that the
embassy was doing its best to provide a transparent and
efficient system, saying that it processes no fewer than 55,000
visa applications yearly.
A fact sheet made available to
journalists stated that “applicants who do not qualify for a
visa will be told by the consular officer the reason for the
refusal and will be given an information sheet to that effect.”
NP/QASIM/YINKA
