…As Turkish Government plans to open visa collection centre in Kano
The Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to Nigeria, Mehmet Poroy, has explained why the Government of Türkiye stopped the issuance of e-visa to Nigerians.
Poroy who spoke in Abuja during a media briefing on the occasion of the 66th anniversary of the elevation of diplomatic ties between Türkiye and Nigeria to ambasadorial level, said the decision was taken as a result of the existence of some fake Schengen, United Kingdom and United States visas.
Poroy said: “It is a sensitive issue. And we have stopped this issue, I understand, because of the existence of some fake Schengen, UK, and US visas. This is the precondition that you might get e-visa, but when my authority cited some fake visas, Schengen, UK on the passports and through the people that got their e-visas through these fake visas, they had to stop the system.”
The Turkish envoy further said the development was not applicable to all Nigerians, saying that the Government of Türkiye continued to issue visas to Nigerians without any problem.
He added that the rate of visa refusal to Nigerians was very minimal, stating that for Nigerian business people, they had huge facilities for prospective visa applicants as the embassy can issue direct visas without necessarily asking the Türkiye Immigration Office in Ankara for approval.
Poroy also said that the fact that e-visa for Nigerians was not in existence did not mean that it was very difficult to get Turkish visa.
“This is not the case. As we continue to receive visa applications in our offices in Abuja and Lagos, we process them, sent to Ankara and share results with applicants,” Poroy further said.
He further explained that even Turkish nationals cannot benefit from Nigeria’s e-visa, expressing the hope that during his tour of duty in Nigeria, the issue will be resolved.
Poroy however disclosed that the Turkish Government is planning to open a visa collection centre in Kano before the end of this year.
He also said that Kano, being a historical commercial centre in Northern Nigeria, the centre will be beneficial to applicants from the North.
He stated that with the opening of the centre, a lot of people who travel to Türkiye from the North for business, tourism, and education issues will no longer have to visit Lagos or Abuja.
The envoy expressed hope that in the near future, a visa office would be opened in Port Harcourt for easy facilitation of visas.
Earlier, Poroy recalled that on November 9, 1960, the Republic of Türkiye and Nigeria elevated its bilateral relations to ambasadorial level.
He explained that prior to the era, Türkiye operated a Consulate General in Lagos beginning from April, 1959.
With the establishment of diplomatic relations at ambasadorial level, the envoy said a charge d’affaires was appointed to man the embassy after which a substantive ambassador arrived in Nigeria in 1962.
“So, today, we celebrate to commemorate this anniversary, 66 years of Nigeria’s independence, 66 years of diplomatic relations between Türkiye and Nigeria,” the envoy stated.
(The Sun)