indications emerged yesterday that Nigeria would impose a £20,000 visa bond on UK visitors if a planned £3000 bond on Nigeria pushes through


Minister of Foreign Affairs Olugbenga Ashiru said yesterday that the Federal Government will defend the interest of Nigerians on consular related issues with foreign countries.

Ashiru spoke in Abuja following a proposal by the United Kingdom to introduce a bond of 3,000 pounds (N750, 000) for intending visitors from Nigeria and five other countries.

Speaking at the 2013 Ministerial Platform, Ashiru reiterated that the UK government was yet to officially notify Nigeria on the proposal scheduled to start inNovember.

“Really, we have received no official communication from theUK government.

“When we receive communication from them, we will study whatever proposal they are trying to do but I canassure all Nigerians that President Jonathan’s government will defend the interest of Nigerians by whatever means it can.’’

The House of Representatives Foreign Affairs committee kicked against the policy. Chair of theDiaspora Committee Abike Dabiri –Erewa asked Nigeria to adopt the principle of reciprocity if the UK insists onthe visa bond from Nigerians traveling to Britain. She suggested a N5million bond for any Briton seeking Nigerian visa as a visitor.

Chairman, House of Representatives Committee onForeign Affairs, Ms. Nnenna Elendu-Ukeje described the visa bond as discriminatory and unacceptable. She said the House of Representativeswould take a critical look at the policy as it affects Nigerians and come up with a way forward. Dabiri-Erewa said: “Nigeria should adopt the principle of reciprocity. If they ask us to pay £3,000, lettheir citizens also pay N5million visa bond.

“This is a discriminatory policy and it is unacceptable. Do not forget that we are a member of the Commonwealth, what are we going to enjoy if they could impose such a discriminatory policy?

“I am quite sure that France will not impose visa bond on their former colonies. The UK Government should reverse itor else we should pay them back in equal measure.

“The Federal Government should not allow the situation to lie low; it should reject it and make it reciprocal.

“When South Africa said we should be paying N100, 000 visa bond and we reciprocated, it quickly stopped the policy.

“If Nigerian and Indian doctors withdraw their services in the UK, their health sector will collapse.
Elendu-Ukeje described the new UK visa bond as discriminatory and unacceptable.

In a statement in Abuja, the lawmaker said such policy wasnot in the best interest of Nigeria and Nigerians.
She said: “This is totally discriminatory and unacceptable. It is target to non-white Commonwealth.

“They should realise that it isnot in the best interest of UK. We will as a country, going to look at it vis-a- vis our citizens and come up with a decision.

“We agree totally with our Foreign Minister that the policy is totally unworkable and impractical’’.

“It is contrary to the commitment made to our President by Prime Minister David Cameron during their last meeting. We believe it is for political reason ahead of general elections.

“We seek that our long historical relationship should take precedence over politicalexpediency.”
The minister admitted that thebiggest challenge facing the present administration’s foreign policy thrust was the welfare of Nigerians abroad.

He said Nigeria missions abroad had been directed to pay utmost attention to the needs of Nigerians abroad, particularly the plight of Nigerians in various prisons abroad.
He acknowledged that many Nigerians were stranded abroad in prisons and that the affected Nigerians had continued to suffer various forms of discriminations in their host countries.

According to the minister, over 9000 Nigerians are currently serving prisons terms abroad, with the largestnumber of 752 in the UK.


“Most of the remaining prisoners are concentrated inthe Asia – Pacific region and agood number of them are on death row.


“We are concluding Prisoners’ Transfer Agreement (PTA) with all thosecountries, such as United Kingdom, Thailand, Japan, China, Indonesia, Switzerland,South Africa, Mozambique, Angola and Hong Kong, so that we can bring home these Nigerians to complete their prison terms.


“I wish to seize this opportunity to appeal to members of different groups; the media, civil societies, religious groups, traditional rulers, etc, to join hands in the education of our youths inan enlightenment campaign against trafficking in drugs, inparticular, and other social vices in general. “This assignment should not be left alone to Governments at different levels to handle.’’
On the much-talked about reopening of Information Centres abroad, the minister appealed to the Federal Ministry of Information to ensure proper funding for the centres.

Asians, Africans to pay £3,000 cash bond deposit for UK visa

[img]http://previous.presstv.ir/photo/20130623/soltani20130623162739200.jpg[/img]
Visitors from Asian and African nations will have to pay £3,000 cash bond deposit to enter Britain.
Sun Jun 23, 2013 4:28PM GMT

Visitors from Asian and African nations will have to pay £3,000 cash bond deposit to enter Britain, a report said.


The Sunday Times newspaper said the pilot scheme, according to which visitors aged 18 and over would be forced to pay £3,000 for a six-month visit visa, will target visitors from November this year.

Moreover, the money would be forfeited in case of overstay.

According to reports, the plans which aimed at preventing abuse of immigration rules in the country, will initially cover India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nigeria and Ghana.

“This is the next step in making sure our immigration system is more selective, bringing down net migration from the hundreds of thousands to the tens of thousands while still welcoming the brightest and the best to Britain," Home Secretary Theresa May was quoted as saying.

British government’s restrictions on visa rules have led to a decrease in the number of foreign students in the UK and could cost Britain's universities £2.4 billion over the next decade.

adconline: NASS , ministers,relatives conubines are worried because they are going to be the hardest hit.

eGuerrilla: But this is Madam Dabiri-Erewa's suggestion and not necessarily an official position of the FGN.

“If Nigerian and Indian doctors withdraw their services in the UK, their health sector will collapse.

Gbawe:

I hope it is not because on display again from this Mrs.Dabiri-Erewa is the pugnacious ignorance many of our politicians work with. This is why they are found wanting serving the interest of Nigerians . The woman is garrulously misinformed with her chest-beating talk below because the Visa bond is for visitors i.e those not allowed to work while in the UK anyway. She should know "visitors" cover those who are meant to visit the UK and return within the stipulated time on their visa. I don't quite know why she is now ranting about the health sector of the UK collapsing.

adconline: NASS , ministers,relatives conubines are worried because they are going to be the hardest hit.

Gbawe:

I hope it is not because on display again from this Mrs.Dabiri-Erewa is the pugnacious ignorance many of our politicians work with. This is why they are found wanting serving the interest of Nigerians . The woman is garrulously misinformed with her chest-beating talk below because the Visa bond is for visitors i.e those not allowed to work while in the UK anyway. She should know "visitors" cover those who are meant to visit the UK and return within the stipulated time on their visa. I don't quite know why she is now ranting about the health sector of the UK collapsing.

Most illegal migrants likely to be white

Long-stay immigrants into the UK from Poland, India and China are outnumbered by Germans, South Africans, North Americans, people from the white Commonwealth and returning Britons.

Official figures show that of the top ten migrant countries in 2008, 137,000 were from the first group and 152,000 from the second group.

There is no debate in the media, among politicians and among the public concerning North Americans and the white Commonwealth.

The fact that they ‘take jobs’ in the UK does not feature as an issue among those who are most concerned about immigration.

hTe anti-immigration campaign group Migration Watch and UKIP create fear about immigration numbers and fail to point out that immigrants include people from Australia, US, New Zealand and others.

The figures are contained in the Office for National Statistics latest annual report on migration, Migration Statistics 2008, http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/cm71/7197/7197.pdf

Of those intending to stay for a long period, the report states:
British, 77,000 (i.e. UK citizens returning to the UK)
Poland, 54,000
India, 48,000
China, 18,000
Germany, 18,000
Pakistan, 17,000
USA, 15,000
South Africa, Australia, Italy, 14,000

The report suggests that many of the Indian, Chinese and perhaps Pakistani long-stay migrants are students. It states: ‘More than half of all migrants arriving in the UK for formal study were citizens of an Asian country. Of the 91,000 Asian migrants arriving in the UK in 2008 to study, 22 per cent were Indian citizens and 17 per cent were Chinese citizens.’

The number of asylum seekers have been falling. Official figures excluding dependants, states that asylum applications received in 2006 was 23,610, 8 per cent less than in 2005.

In terms of all visitors and migrants into the UK, the report states: ‘Citizens of the United States of America (USA) comprised 32 per cent of total non-EEA admissions, the nationality with by far the most admissions, representing an increase of 6 per cent to 4.1 million in 2006. The next three nationalities with the highest numbers of admissions were Australia (up 8 per cent to 1.1 million), Canada (up 11 per cent to 1.0 million) and India (up 23 per cent to 0.8 million).’

It is likely that most illegal immigrants are from North America and white Commonwealth countries.

According to the Institute for Public Policy Research, few people sneak into the country undetected so most illegal immigrants are overstayers, or people who stay in the UK beyond their entitlement.

There are few figures concerning overstayers by country. When Australia checked their overstayers in 2005, they found the top countries were the US and Britain.
insidejob

ogb5:

She is talking about the health sector collapsing because she wants the british to appreciate the contributions of Nigeria professionals to the progress of the british society. Obviously thats not too much to ask for.

If we allow the british to discriminate against us, what will stop the Americans, French, Canadians and all others from disciminating against us.

If the british try it, infact they should put a landing fee of 1 million naira per persenger that flies a british plane into Nigeria, Let BA stop their daily flights to Nigeria

Capnd143:
“Most of the remaining prisoners are concentrated inthe Asia – Pacific region and agood number of them are on death row.
“We are concluding Prisoners’ Transfer Agreement (PTA) with all thosecountries, such as United Kingdom, Thailand, Japan, China, Indonesia, Switzerland,South Africa, Mozambique, Angola and Hong Kong, so that we can bring home these Nigerians to complete their prison terms.

eGuerrilla:

This would not be the first time madam and her house committee on diaspora affairs is confusing the wood for the trees

Concerning your earlier point, it is indeed true that Cameron's anti-immigration policies are aimed at migrants of a darker hue, despite the fact that most over-stayers come from "low-risk" countries.



Source: http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2010/05/451993.html?c=on

adconline: NASS , ministers,relatives conubines are worried because they are going to be the hardest hit.

Right! Because they can't easily afford £3,000 abi?

Ride on, Ashiru et Abike! UK needs to pipe down! It's not like they don't make enough money off visa fees already!

9ja_I_hail: This will be a right move only if Tinumbu and opposition parties do not play politics with this, forgetting that national interest should not be use to score cheap political point.

GEJ administration is the first Nigeria Govt to fight for it citizens right internationally.