NAIROBI,Kenya Oct 27 – Kenya has protested the treatment of its citizens applying for visas to Nigeria, with Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei warning that the unequal entry requirements between the two countries are unacceptable.
Sing’oei said Nairobi was pursuing diplomatic and political interventions to address the challenges faced by Kenyans seeking to travel to Nigeria, citing a lack of reciprocity in visa arrangements between the two countries.
“The treatment of Kenyans seeking visas to Nigeria is unacceptable. While we extend visa free entry to Nigerian citizens, this is not reciprocated,” Sing’oei said in a statement on Tuesday.
“The inconvenience suffered by Kenyans is unwarranted. We are pursuing the remedying of this situation with vigour at diplomatic and political levels,” he added.
The remarks follow complaints from Kenyans over what they describe as a cumbersome visa application process, including extensive documentation and requirements that involve people inviting them to Nigeria.
One complaint circulating online described the Nigerian visa application process as more demanding than applications for the United Kingdom, the United States and the Schengen area.
The complainant said a colleague seeking to attend a conference in Nigeria had been required to provide several documents, including the passport details of the person hosting the event.
The concerns have placed the spotlight on the movement of people between the two African economies and the extent to which their visa policies facilitate business, conferences and other professional engagements.
According to the Nigerian High Commission in Nairobi, applicants seeking business visas must submit a letter introducing them from their Kenyan company, an invitation letter from the Nigerian company hosting them, a return air ticket and a copy of their passport biodata page.
They are also required to provide a yellow fever certificate, passport photographs and a copy of the Nigerian host or company signatory’s passport biodata page. The applicant’s passport must have at least six months’ validity and blank pages.
The commission’s published requirements state that visa applications are submitted on Mondays and Wednesdays between 10am and 12.30pm, while collection is scheduled three to five working days after submission.
Tourist visa applicants must also provide an invitation letter from their host and a copy of the host’s passport biodata page, alongside proof of funds, travel documentation and other supporting papers.
These requirements help explain the complaints about the amount of documentation involved, particularly for applicants travelling for professional events or on invitations from Nigerian organisations.
However, Nigeria’s immigration rules provide different requirements depending on the visa category, meaning the documents needed may vary according to the purpose of travel.