- Dabiri-Erewa Slams Embassies Over Delayed Passport Returns
- Demands Refunds for Rejected Visa Applications
- Calls for Accountability
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has criticised foreign embassies for delays in returning passports to Nigerians after visa applications.
Eko Hot Blog reports that she also called for partial refunds of visa fees in cases where applications are rejected, describing the current situation as unfair to applicants.
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Dabiri-Erewa made the remarks while reacting to concerns raised by Japheth Omojuwa, who highlighted the inconvenience caused by prolonged visa processing and delayed passport returns.
Omojuwa had pointed out that embassies should not hold on to applicants’ passports for extended periods, especially when decisions on visa applications are delayed.
Responding, Dabiri-Erewa agreed with the concerns, stressing that applicants deserve timely decisions and fair treatment.
She added that where visa requests are denied, embassies should consider refunding at least a portion of the application fees.
The NiDCOM boss noted that such measures would ease the burden on Nigerians and improve trust in the visa application process.
