UK’s visa bond: Slap on Nigeria’s face

By Emmanuel Edukugho
Britain’s latest planned immigration policy compelling visitors from Nigeria and five other countries to pay 3,000 pounds (about N750,000) bond before they can enter the United Kingdom has generated mixed reactions from Nigerians of varying backgrounds.

A report in the Weekly Sunday Times was quoted as stating that from November 2013, according to the Home Secretary, Theresa May, there would be a pilot scheme by the Prime Minister David Cameron administration targeting visitors from Nigeria, Pakistan, India, Ghana, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh whose citizens are deemed to pose “the most significant risk of immigration abuse.”

Gbenga Ashiru, Foreign Affairs Minister and Prime Minister David Cameron

Visitors aged 18 and above would be forced to pay 3,000 pounds ($4,600, 3,500 euros) from November for a six-month visit visa. They will forfeit the money if they overstay in Britain after their visa has expired.

As explained by the Home Secretary, the policy is designed to show that the government is serious about cutting down immigration and abuses of the system, as Cameron wants annual net migration to fall below 100,000 by 2015.

In 2012, 296,000 people were granted six-month visas from India, 101,000 from Nigeria, 53,000 from Pakistan and 14,000 each from Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Declared Theresa May: “In the long run, we are interested in a system of bonds that deters over-staying and recovers costs if a foreign national has used our public services.

“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 in Britain.”

In conceptualising this proposed policy, the United Kingdom might not have overlooked the possibility of retaliation or reciprocity by the countries affected. British visitors could be asked to pay bonds before they are permitted into those countries.

“This is discriminatory and racial. Nigeria should not accept such prohibitive payment without retaliating. It is neo-colonialism and therefore, unacceptable. I am displeased with the proposed deposit Nigerians visiting England are forced to pay. This is unfair considering the historical relationship between Britain and Nigeria,” said Engineer Stephen Temitope.

He described the 3,000-pound visa bond as “a slap on Nigeria’s face.”

“It’s a strategic action and a way of tightening immigration into the United Kingdom. The British government had been worried by the influx of Nigerians into the country and the only means to check this trend is to impose severe financial punishment for people coming in. Why do they want nationals of these countries to pay so much as visa deposit?” he queried.

According to Temitope, the message being sent is clear. “They want Nigerians to stay at home and salvage their fatherland, instead of always seeking to travel abroad which may not be the best option.
There is nothing like home. Life in Britain could be terrible as well. Don’t be deceived. You will be amazed at what many Nigerians do for a living in the UK! Menial and embarrassing jobs that they cannot do here at home.”

Ms Margaret Osho, an administrative manager in an educational institution, blamed the government for the poor economy and not providing basic infrastructure, forcing people to travel out of Nigeria to seek better life.

“People, qualified and unqualified just travel abroad without any tangible thing to do. There is a careless attitude among Nigerians. We should blame ourselves and learn to stay at home. There are great potentials and opportunities in this country waiting to be tapped. There is nothing to gain travelling to the USA, UK or Canada unless to engage in slave labour.”

She urged the Nigerian government to provide the basic necessities of life such as good housing, electricity, water, employment, good roads, quality education and security for citizens to deter them from rushing to Britain.

“To a great extent, living in Nigeria is difficult, full of anguish and pains because virtually nothing works well in our country. It is expensive to live in Nigeria despite widespread poverty. People want to escape with the slightest opportunity available.”

Margaret expressed sadness over the teeming number of Nigerians who flooded foreign embassies like Britain, France, America, Canada, trying to get visa to travel.

“As early as 7 a.m, Nigerians are already on the line waiting for interview to obtain visas to enter Britain. At the end most of them are rejected and frustrated. The government has a lot to do by creating an enabling and conducive environment for people to remain at home.”

She told Saturday Vanguard that if our economy is revived, there would be no need to travel abroad for greener pastures which no longer exist as was the case in the past.

“Our leaders are not leading by good example. Bad governance, corruption, selfishness, greed, insecurity, favouritism, ethnic sentiments are traits exhibited by our leaders that have scared many people away to other countries,” she quipped.

Hassan Umaru is a banker who does not want Nigerians to blame Britain for the harsh visa bond which compels visitors to part with 3,000 pounds if they happen to overstay.

“Don’t blame Britain. The British people won’t want to expose their country to unscrupulous Nigerians, miscreants, terrorists, fraudsters, and those without expertise that can contribute to the growth and development of the UK economy. Many Nigerians are in prison there. Here in Nigeria, our government is even treating us as slaves. No justice, no welfare scheme, corruption everywhere. Nobody cares.”

He noted that foreign embassies in Nigeria are extorting the people who intend to travel abroad, asking for all kinds of consular payments and making plenty of money.

“Foreigners who enter Nigeria are not saints. Many of them commit crimes but are seldom tried and sent to jail. Some don’t even have visas because our immigration laws are soft and flexible.

“The government should not wait till November when the proposed policy would come into effect, but begin now to tell the UK it’s going to be an eye-for-an-eye by imposing similar visa bond on Britons coming to Nigeria. We cannot be taken for granted again, Nigeria has come of age to hit back at nations introducing hostile, discriminatory policies against us,” Hassan said.

It will be recalled that Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Olugbenga Ashiru, while saying the UK visa bond was discriminatory and could undermine the spirit of the Commonwealth family, urged Britain to reconsider the proposed policy.

According to Ashiru, who summoned the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr. Andrew Pacok for clarification, “It is incompatible with the strong and cordial relations built over the years between the UK and Nigeria.”

About 180,000 Nigerians applied for the UK visa last year and over 70% of this number were granted.

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