Speaking in London during a courtesy visit on him by the Minister for Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Relations, the High Commissioner lamented that most Nigerian visa applicants normally leave it very late before applying, and may not meet the requirements for the visa within the short time.
He said the situation was also the same with British-Nigerians who apply for Nigerian visas, disclosing that “99 per cent of their applications fall within the category of urgent or emergency visas”.
Dr Tafida who was responding to a complaint by a member of the Minister’s delegation that the UK often refuses visas even to top Nigeria government officials said the UK’s visa policy was “generous” compared with other countries.
“We should be fair to the UK. If you meet the criteria, you get UK visa. The UK gives visas for six months and up to ten years. Some countries give visas for just four days”, he said, and urged applicants to always start the visa process in good time and endeavour to meet the stipulated requirements to avoid last minute disappointment.
Earlier in his remarks, the Minister, Alhaji Kabiru Tanimu Turaki said he and his delegation were in the UK to meet with operators, regulators and agents of the National Lottery with a view to imbibing their methods and strategies to improve the operations of the Nigeria National Lottery.
He explained that the meetings followed directives by President Goodluck Jonathan that the operations of the National Lottery be overhauled to ensure transparency, inspire confidence and create conducive atmosphere so that the Lottery would be run “in tandem with the global practices”.
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