Welcome, Guest: Register On Nairaland / LOGIN! / Trending / Recent / New
Stats: 3,172,209 members, 7,884,204 topics. Date: Tuesday, 09 July 2024 at 06:14 AM

Experience With Immigration When Traveling With Our Nigeria Passport - Travel (3) - Nairaland

Nairaland Forum / Nairaland / General / Travel / Experience With Immigration When Traveling With Our Nigeria Passport (9378 Views)

!!!UPDATE!!! Traveling With Expired Nigerian Passport / Traveling With Nigeria Food Stuffs / Do You Get Fingerprinted When Traveling With A Traveling Certificate Out Of Uk (2) (3) (4)

(1) (2) (3) (Reply) (Go Down)

Re: Experience With Immigration When Traveling With Our Nigeria Passport by darkroll(m): 7:32pm On Apr 01, 2009
It is so funny that i have been around europe with no problem with immigrations but most times i dont fly from nigeria to europe sha, the only countries i always have issues with immigration whenever i flash my green pali are asian countries , 3 worst experience are in Thailand ,Vietnam , Cambodia .

Was doing asia with some western friends of mine , I was asked one same question like 100 times " What are u doing in thailand ? and i clearly answered am here on vacation with friends but seems the immigration dont believe that some Nigerians travels for holiday , they always believe we only travel for Holiyears or Holidrugs , Holishopping .

Vietnam was the worst but will save the long story .
Re: Experience With Immigration When Traveling With Our Nigeria Passport by tEsLim(m): 2:28am On Feb 06, 2011
My travels so far has been smooth. Abroad I dont ever have problems its like walk through. But from Naija the immigration ppl here are my own problem. They ask me questions that annoys me like asking to show them proof or documents i obtained my visa with sad or what business I do. I remember one time coming back from World cup last year from South Africa and I did a lot of shopping for the family then the immigration guy here was asking me for bribe and I was like look i shopped with all my money I have nothing. Then he told me frankly that he could make me wait here for the next 24hrs that best i could do is just to co-operate then i asked what was wrong. Then he told me all cloths from abroad that i'm bringing into naija was contraband blah blah shit. That why should I shop abroad; aren't there shops in naija, i was so mad at this dude later he asked for 10k naira but shame on me I later called him outside and gave him 1k naira after he told other officers i was clear to go. Since then I always keep naira in my pocket when going so i can bribe stupidos on landing
Re: Experience With Immigration When Traveling With Our Nigeria Passport by justwise(m): 9:27am On Feb 06, 2011
tEsLim:

My travels so far has been smooth. Abroad I dont ever have problems its like walk through. But from Naija the immigration ppl here are my own problem. They ask me questions that annoys me like asking to show them proof or documents i obtained my visa with sad or what business I do. I remember one time coming back from World cup last year from South Africa and I did a lot of shopping for the family then the immigration guy here was asking me for bribe and I was like look i shopped with all my money I have nothing. Then he told me frankly that he could make me wait here for the next 24hrs that best i could do is just to co-operate then i asked what was wrong. Then he told me all cloths from abroad that i'm bringing into naija was contraband blah blah poo. That why should I shop abroad; aren't there shops in naija, i was so mad at this dude later he asked for 10k naira but shame on me I later called him outside and gave him 1k naira after he told other officers i was clear to go. Since then I always keep naira in my pocket when going so i can bribe stupidos on landing


You are part of the problem then, why do you have to bribe him when u haven't committed any offence? When did shopping abroad for personal use become a crime in Nigeria?
Re: Experience With Immigration When Traveling With Our Nigeria Passport by Nobody: 10:01am On Feb 06, 2011
justwise:

[/b]
You are part of the problem then, why do you have to bribe him when u haven't committed any offence? When did shopping abroad for personal use become a crime in Nigeria?

In a country where not much works, and justice isn't served, there's very little choice. I agree, bribery and corruption shouldn't be the order of the day, but all depends on how much time you have to stand arguing with these guys, and how valuable your time is to you.

You may not have committed any offence, but they can delay you for hours, even if they eventually allow you to pass, without extorting any money from you. Such is life in Nigeria, we don't neccessarily like it, but we learn to live with it.
Re: Experience With Immigration When Traveling With Our Nigeria Passport by justwise(m): 10:35am On Feb 06, 2011
Siena:

In a country where not much works, and justice isn't served, there's very little choice. I agree, bribery and corruption shouldn't be the order of the day, but all depends on how much time you have to stand arguing with these guys, and how valuable your time is to you.
You may not have committed any offence, but they can delay you for hours, even if they eventually allow you to pass, without extorting any money from you. Such is life in Nigeria, we don't neccessarily like it, but we learn to live with it.

I take your points, yes its frustrating to be kept waiting aruging with pple who are used to taking bribe with impunity but that is frustration i'm ready to accept and i have done it 2x, the first time was coupple of yrs ago as a first time traveler, virgin passport and i was picked on. my luggage was searched, few Nigerian home movies i had with me was seized and they were asking for bribe, i stood my ground, i had some Naira with me which they wanted me to part-way with but i said no, yes i was detained untill the public address system started calling my name, at that time i raised my voice to attract more attention, then a senior immigration officer turned up and asked them to let me off. The second one was 3yrs ago, the same problem, the immigration officer asked if i got anything to delcare i said no, he asked me to step aside and i did, he was busy attending to pple who are ready to play the game, after about 10mins i asked him if i could go and he said i need to drop something, i was furious, i asked: Drop something for what? Tell me why i should pay you to get into Nigeria, at that time he said. .'abeg carry your prob go'

I just hate the whole system of paying for something that supposed to be free, i don't mind appreciating somebody for job well-done, but not those criminals
Re: Experience With Immigration When Traveling With Our Nigeria Passport by tEsLim(m): 11:22am On Feb 06, 2011
@Justwise I want you to swear with your balls that you have never given police bribe or other public workers. As I'm the problem I dont have 24hrs to waste at MM and it was fucking hot the air conditioners where off and I was coming from a place where it was Winter. See its the regular shit I have no time to waste. But I wont give out to much simple. I've been held by police for being a gentleman for about 4hrs plus. This is Nigeria bullshit works. YOu think they care if you missed your flight? They dont give a Bleep must of the immigration officers have never stepped out of the country or payed for a flight ticket mostly some illiterates from the N*rth (I'm sorry didn't mean to be disrespectful there)
Re: Experience With Immigration When Traveling With Our Nigeria Passport by Nobody: 11:25am On Feb 06, 2011
una sabi waka.
Re: Experience With Immigration When Traveling With Our Nigeria Passport by justwise(m): 11:32am On Feb 06, 2011
tEsLim:

@Justwise I want you to swear with your balls that you have never given police bribe or other public workers. As I'm the problem I dont have 24hrs to waste at MM and it was bleeping hot the air conditioners where off and I was coming from a place where it was Winter. See its the regular poo I have no time to waste. But I wont give out to much simple. I've been held by police for being a gentleman for about 4hrs plus. This is Nigeria bullshit works. YOu think they care if you missed your flight? They dont give a bleep must of the immigration officers have never stepped out of the country or payed for a flight ticket mostly some illiterates from the N*rth (I'm sorry didn't mean to be disrespectful there)
I don't bribe and not ready to bribe anybody, i do appreciate any public worker who helped me or go out of his or her way to do a good job, this is after the job is done, no promise b4 the job is done, just a way of saying thank-you for job well-done, not bribing some greedy pple that did nothing for me.
I'm looking forward to the date any immigration officer will make me miss my flight cos of bribe, it will be a day both of us will not 4get too quickly.
Re: Experience With Immigration When Traveling With Our Nigeria Passport by AjanleKoko: 5:04pm On Feb 06, 2011
Well, i have a Nigerian passport, and have been to pretty much every single continent, but I haven't been ever harrassed by anyone. In fact, I don't even get harassed in Nigeria, talk less of abroad. For the Nigeria airports, you just have to learn how to handle yourself and not allow intimidation, as that is the African stock in trade, unfortunately.

Sometimes i get asked lots of questions, especially whenever I fly to the US. But I always answer calmly, and don't embark on elaborate long stories. I think that's really the problem, not the passport itself. In fact, I don't like to travel on popular Nigerian routes, like KLM via Amsterdam. You get delayed a lot cos there is always a bunch of smart alecs who always get busted and delay everybody else. Muttalab hasn't helped either.

The last time I was at the UK, right at immigration, some Nigerian dude was asked why did he plan to stay in Essex. He embarked on a long winding story that eventually invited unnecessary curiosity from the officer asking. That's always the issue with Africans: inability to express themselves coherently, in some cases unable to understand what is being asked, not to mention an inherent lack of confidence.

I was visiting the States a couple of years back with my family on holiday, and the lady at immigration asked where my itinerary was. I told her I did not require one, as i was staying with a family friend, and we would decide what we wanted to do as we go along. Also pointed out to her that I've been in the states lots of times, and I wasn't some random tourist. She eventually stood down, but did not delay me more than necessary.

And to the dude who said pretty much anybody can get a Nigerian passport (bossman), think again. I know people (not Nigerians) who work in intelligence for a certain country I'll decline to mention. They can get anybody any passport for any country, including the Great United States. Hell, yes, believe you me.
Re: Experience With Immigration When Traveling With Our Nigeria Passport by stmarc32(m): 3:20am On Feb 07, 2011
My g/f came down to Nigeria with me and she had a hard time going thru customs back into her own country, , second time I was delayed in south africa for a while , the immigration guy kept saying i was not the person in the passport, I just laughed my head off and said to him, If i miss my flight its on u coz u know its non refundable and it sure as hell didn't come cheap either , he looked at my P over n over again and said you can go now, I think if u have no skeleton in your cupboard, you definitely won't take nonsense from them, as 2pac will say PUT UR HEAD UP, One love from Australia
Re: Experience With Immigration When Traveling With Our Nigeria Passport by Mylesudeh: 9:04pm On Feb 08, 2011
Traveling to Lagos-Nigeria and its surrounding areas?? Let us provide you with a chauffeur driven car rental services. Our prices are remarkably low and our services are like never before seen in Nigeria!! www.unityglobalventures.com or call 202-459-2103
Re: Experience With Immigration When Traveling With Our Nigeria Passport by moonraker(m): 7:56am On Feb 09, 2011
Only time i got embarssed was at Istanbul.

The Immigration guy took a good look at my passport

and the turkish visa. then picked up the phone to do God

knws wht. that was where i lost my temper. i was very cranky

considering i arrived there in the early hours of the morning.

The Immigration guy went to call up his supervisor and i think they

called the Turkish embassy in tokyo. oh well, i was eventually allowed

to go thru. pity, nothing to see expect for their really beautiful women.
Re: Experience With Immigration When Traveling With Our Nigeria Passport by eghost247(m): 9:05am On Feb 09, 2011
Well just an unsual way they check each passport page i was so suprised
Re: Experience With Immigration When Traveling With Our Nigeria Passport by billtommy(m): 10:37am On Mar 25, 2012
This is embarrazzingt

(1) (2) (3) (Reply)

I don't think Nigeria will ever get better. So leave if you can! / Is Transcorp Hilton Really A 5-Star Hotel? (Power Failure For 30 Minutes) / Five Places To Visit During Xmas In Lagos

(Go Up)

Sections: politics (1) business autos (1) jobs (1) career education (1) romance computers phones travel sports fashion health
religion celebs tv-movies music-radio literature webmasters programming techmarket

Links: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10)

Nairaland - Copyright © 2005 - 2024 Oluwaseun Osewa. All rights reserved. See How To Advertise. 42
Disclaimer: Every Nairaland member is solely responsible for anything that he/she posts or uploads on Nairaland.