E-Visa: FG processes over 14,000 applications within 6 weeks
…e-CERPAC, TWP to go live in July
By Omeiza Ajayi
ABUJA: The Federal Government on Monday said its electronic visa regime which took off on May 1 has been largely successful, disclosing how it processed over 14, 000 applications within the first six weeks of going live.
Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo announced this at a stakeholders sensitization workshop on major immigration innovations held at the headquarters of the Nigeria Immigration Service NIS in Abuja.
According to him, the electronic Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card e-CERPAC and the electronic Temporary Work Permit TWP will also go live in the next one week.
“I can tell you within the first six weeks of the e-visa, we were able to process over 14,000 visa applications. Within six weeks. So, that by any standard in the world, is a pass mark. It is a huge one and, of course, those little hitches, I tell you, within the next one to two weeks, will be history. We will correct them.
“We are already working. Even yesterday in my house, the CGIS was there. Technological partners were in my house. The DCG visa was in my house. All of us in my house. We worked for hours yesterday, Sunday, even in my conference room at home. We were working because we understand when you are in the process of innovation, there is no room, there is no opportunity for you to close your eyes. You must make sure it works. We are ready for the challenge”.
He said the Federal Government decided to come up with the e-visa system knowing that it is not just a migration management document but also an enhancer of economic growth.
“To me, when somebody needs a visa to Nigeria, and all he is looking for is who knows the minister, who knows the CG Immigration ,who knows the Perma.net Secretary, that is not how to grow a country. That is the truth.
“You must make it easy while not compromising national security. There must be that strategy. So, the e-visa, I want to assure you, is here, and by the grace of God, is here to stay”, he stated.
The minister added that the e-border solution has really also given Nigeria extra leverage in terms of its border security architecture.
“We are not yet where we want to be, but we are not where we were. There has been progress, and the simple truth is, we will continue to invest in our e-border governance and put more boots on the ground to make sure that every inch of the Nigerian border space is well protected”, he vowed.
On the e-CERPAC and TWP, the minister said the era of using TWP to circumvent CERPAC was gone.
“That era when people will come on TWP almost for free, keep renewing over and over, just to evade the law, is gone. So, for us, TWP is automated just like CERPAC is already automated”, he said.
He added that the elimination of manual archiving in the passport application processes has saved Nigeria about a billion Naira annually as the contract regarding that had since been cancelled.
Explaining some of the recent digital innovations by the Service, Comptroller General of Immigration Service CGIS, Kemi Mandap said the new visa regime comes with its several innovative services, including the e-Visa Application Channel, e-CERPAC, Landing and Exit Cards and Temporary Work Permit.
“The already installed e-Gates at our major Airports and commissioned Command and Control Centre is positioned to house and harness these technologies. These digital solutions leverage technology to streamline processes, enhance security, and improve the overall experience for travellers and stakeholders”, she explained.
According to her, the e-Visa system allows for seamless online applications, eliminating the need for physical visits to immigration offices.
“The e-CERPAC integrates residence permits into a digital document, simplifying processes for foreign nationals residing in Nigeria. Our Temporary Work Permit has also been digitized, reducing processing times and increasing efficiency”, she added.
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