Visitors, migrants with expired permits will be penalised — NIS
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), has said that all migrants whose visitors’ permit or pass expired before March 23, 2020, would pay overstay penalty for the number of days stayed before the lockdown, NAN reports.
According to Daily Times, this information was disclosed on Wednesday by the Comptroller-General, Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Mr Muhammad Babandede during a virtual meeting with stakeholders in Abuja.
Babandede said the agency has implemented procedures for international flight resumption and visa payment, adding that the procedures were in line with Federal Government’s approval to commence international flight operations from 5th September.
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He said that Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) Abuja were earlier approved by the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola for the implementation.
This he said, was with the letter Ref. No. MI/PM/16012/S.366/Vol.ll/ dated 6th April 2020 on a waiver for visa payment due to COVID-19, closure of land borders, and the suspension of international flights.
According to him, the Service, in the exercise of its statutory mandate, wishes to implement as follows:
“All Migrants in Nigeria whose permits expired from 23rd March to 5th September 2020 have an extension.
“All migrants with evidence of confirmed return tickets scheduled to travel out of the country were to be issued with free extensions to enable them depart on or before 15th September 2020.
“All Migrants whose permit or visitor’s pass expired before 23rd March 2020 would pay overstay penalty for the number of days stayed before the lockdown on 23rd March 2020.
“All resident Migrants, whose permits expired outside the country from 23rd March 2020 shall be allowed entry into Nigeria with the expired permits on or before 25th September 2020.
“Such returning holders of expired permits and their dependents are to renew the permits within thirty days of arrival to Nigeria to avoid sanctions under relevant Immigration laws.
“All migrants who processed payments for Visa on Arrival and other categories of visas from the Nigerian Missions before 23rd March 2020, are to apply for revalidation.
“This should be done by uploading a copy of the previous payments via cis-evisa@immigration.gov.ng not later than 15th September 2020.
“All migrants who obtained Visa on Arrival Pre-approval Letters and other categories of visas from the Nigerian Missions before 23rd March 2020, whose approvals/visas expired before 5th September 2020 are also to apply for revalidation.
“This is without fresh payments but by uploading copies of the expired pre-approval letters/visas via cis-evisa@immigration.gov.ng not later than 15th September 2020,” he said.
He further stated that the NIS had equally activated Visa on Arrival and e-Visa payment portals to enable the intending migrants to Nigeria process entry visas as from 5th September.
He said that in a situation where migrants had obtained a Temporary Work Permit (TWP) approval and the Mission where such visas were to be issued were closed, they should submit the complaint through cis-evisa@immigration.gov.ng.
“These two International Airports, MMIA and NAIA are to commence issuance of visas in line with Nigeria Visa Policy 2020 with effect from the period of the opening of the designated Airports.
“Any violation will attract penalties,” he added.
