Visa, MasterCard Stop Operating in Crimea Over US Sanctions

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International payment systems Visa and Mastercard said they stopped issuing and servicing payment cards in Crimea over sanctions imposed on the region.


Two major US payment giants Visa and MasterCard have stopped servicing banks in Crimea because of the recent round of US sanctions imposed over the Black Sea peninsula's decision to reunite with Russia, the companies said Friday.
Visa said it stopped issuing and servicing payment cards in the region.

According to the company's Friday statement, MasterCard halts servicing payment cards issued by banks operating in Crimea.

Chinese Embassy in Nigeria denies students visa on grounds of Ebola

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The Chinese Embassy in Nigeria has denied visas to some students of Ekiti State University on the grounds of Ebola despite the World Health Organization declaring Nigeria an Ebola free country.

The students were invited to participate in ENACTUS 2014 (Entrepreneurial Action Us), an international competition of young entrepreneurs involving 36 countries slated for 22 – 24th of October 2014 in China in which Nigeria, Senegal, Ghana and Egypt are to represent Africa. But the Chinese Embassy here refused to grant the student visas to go to China.

The Ekiti State University students, who were picked to represent Nigeria having won the ENACTUS Promoted Innovation Competition earlier in the year, have written an open letter about the situation. Find it after the cut...

"I Will Stop £3000 Visa Bond" says, UK Deputy PM

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Hope rose yesterday for Nigerian first time visitors to the United Kingdom, who may be affected by the planned introduction of £3,000 (about N700,000, (visa bond as British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg vowed to block the implementation of the policy.

The British Government plans a new visa policy that will

see some “high risk” first time visitors deposit £3,000 in bond before being given visas.

Continue after the break.

£3,000 UK Visa Bond: We Will Retaliate –Federal Govt Insists

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The Federal Government of Nigeria on Tuesday insisted on retaliatory action against British citizens if their government went ahead with its plan to impose a £3,000 visa bond on visitors from Nigeria and five other Commonwealth countries.

“If and when a communication to that effect is received, the Federal Government will take appropriate steps to reflect its national interest. ”

Governor expressed displeasure that the UK authorities, which already set November as the discriminatory policy’s commencement time, had not formally communicate to it on the next step of action.

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£3,000 UK Visa Bond, Insult to Nigeria – Oba of Lagos

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Oba Rilwan Akiolu, Oba of Lagos, has described the £3000 visa bondbeing proposed by the United Kingdom’s Home Office for Nigerians wishing to enter the UK as an insult to Nigerians. Akiolu who spoke at an event where Peter Carter, deputy British High Commissioner, was present, berated the decision of the British government, saying the move was also an insult on Nigeria as a country.

The monarch said “Nigerians do not welcome the idea and the government of the United Kingdom (UK) should do something urgently to reverse the decision.” The British envoy in a swift reaction, said the decision was meant to checkmate high risk applicants adding that media report over the matter had caused a lot of upset.

Continue After The Break

Celestial Church Prophet Owolere Odunuga Jailed In Kirikiri Over Visa Fraud

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Prophet Owolere Odunuga of the Celestial Church of Christ (CCC), Ibeshe District, Ikorodu, who was arrested for alleged visa fraud, has been remanded in prison custody at Kirikiri, Lagos State, southwest Nigeria.  He allegedly confessed that he used part of the money to pay his tithe, used some to pay his house rent and invested the rest in his church.

 At the Ejigbo Magistrate’s Court where he was arraigned, he also told the court that immigration officials at the airport collected N60,000 per passport to stamp a fake Visa for him.  Odunuga was arrested after he allegedly defrauded a housewife, Mrs Olayemi Oluwapelumi, of N752,000 under the false pretence of procuring United States of America Visa for her.  Odunuga said he worked as travel agent before he received a call from God to start his own church.

 Continue After The Break.

£3000 Visa Bond: UK Will Be The Bigger Loser - Abike Dabiri

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The Chairperson, House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora, Abike Dabiri-Erewa has claimed that the United Kingdom will pay dearly if its conservative government goes ahead with the planned 3,000 Pounds visa bond that will be required by some travelers from Nigeria.

Mrs Dabiri-Erewa while speaking as a guest on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily demanded that a policy of reciprocity by the federal government on all British travelers to Nigeria, adding that they should “even be made to pay a lot more.”

According to the lawmaker, some level of politics is involved in this policy as she claimed the ruling Tory party which seeks re-election, might be using the immigration policy to drive up sentiments ahead of the polls to help, “but it’s probably going to hurt them more” she warned.

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No self-respecting govt will allow new UK visa policy – Onyeka

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EDDIE ONYEKA Esq., is the founding Partner of  HARVARD CHAMBERS, with offices in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and the United Kingdom. He is reputed to be the pioneer and foremost immigration attorney in Nigeria.

HARVARD CHAMBERS has been involved in the practice of immigration for over 15 years and has a long line of clients for whom it handles immigration appeals and applications, particularly before the Immigration and Asylum Tribunal in the UK.

What is your take on the United Kingdom 3000- pound visa bond?

I want to say that over the years the entire immigration policy of the UK has been undergoing a lot of changes in such ways that even those who are abreast of the UK immigration laws and rules find it difficult to keep pace with the changes that come out all the time. Now, this proposal to charge 3000 pounds is a continuation of the process the present government introduced since they assumed office. Before now there were a lot of changes and some were worse than this. My take is that it is illegal and discriminatory.

Continue After The Break.

UK visa bond: Nigeria’ll reciprocate – Sen Nwagwu

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Senator Matthew Nwagwu (PDP Imo North), chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, is not happy with the proposed UK visa bond policy which seeks to compel visitors from some countries, including Nigeria to deposit to UK immigration authority, the sum of 3,000 pounds which they would forfeit if they overstay their visits. In this interview, he said Nigeria would pay UK in her own coins at the appropriate time.  What is the position of the Senate on the proposed United Kingdom policy that seeks to force visitors to UK to deposit 3,000 pounds to their immigration authority?

But as a Nigerian, I have to say that any government including the UK government has the right to make a law that will protect its interest. So it’s left to Nigeria also to make the law that will protect Nigerian citizens’ interests also. When they inform us officially on this policy, we will sit down to study it and then respond to them officially. We will not accept it if Nigeria is branded among the countries they are targeting and we will respond to them in that order. That is what we call reciprocity. If the policy comes into effect, it’s left to Nigerians also to begin to find alternative travel destinations.

£3,000 visa bond: FG summons British High Commissioner

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A diplomatic row  seems to be  brewing between Nigeria and the United Kingdom following a  proposed policy by the  British Government  requiring  Nigerian travellers to the UK to deposit £3,000 as bond in case they overstay  their visa limits.

On Monday,  the Federal Government  summoned the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr. Andrew Pocock, over the development  while the House of Representatives which flayed  the policy, argued that it could have negative impact on the relationship between  the two countries.

Nigeria, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Ghana, Pakistan and India are  listed by the UK  as  countries whose citizens are to deposit the £3,000 under  the  proposed  policy that will take off in November.

A Home Office official said the six countries highlighted were those with “the most significant risk of abuse.”

About 2.2million people are granted visas to enter Britain every year.

Man Sells 6-month- Old Son To Raise Funds For Visa

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One Mr Onyekachi  Ekwelum, who allegedly sold his six-month-old  son to raise funds to process his travel documents, would  be appearing before a magistrate in court to defend his action.

Mr Ekwelum allegedly hatched and executed the act without the consent of the wife, but the lid was blown off by his 20-year-old spouse Ozioma when she could not find their son and reported the matter to the police. Her husband had wanted to travel to Greece.

The Abia State commissioner of Police, Mr Usman Abubakar Tilli, who disclosed this to newsmen in his office on Monday said the police  mounted a man hunt that led to the rescue of the child and the arrest of the suspects.

CP Tilli  warned criminals to stay off the state as there would be no hiding place for them and said the suspects have been charged to court.

Immigration Arrests Nigerian At Wedding Ceremony In UK For Overstaying His Visa

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Imagine leaving home with the intention of attending a wedding, but ending up in detention? That was the case of a Nigerian man who was apprehended at the venue of a wedding in Falkirk, Scotland for overstaying his visa. According to the BBC report, he was to be a witness at a wedding in Falkirk where he was caught and later detained by the UK Border Agency.

60 Nigerians Deported From UK Over Marriage, Visa Scams

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At least 60 Nigerians in the United Kingdom have been deported because of various criminal offences. Some of the deportees had contravened immigration offences, while some were deported for their involvement in crimes such as molest, stealing, smoking and selling of hard drugs. Others used fake visa or engaged in fake marriages. Some of the deportees said at the airport that they had lived in the UK for long but could not get residence permit.