The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Andrew Pocock, has
once again cleared the air on the controversy surrounding a proposed UK
government’s bond on visa applicants from some countries, including Nigeria,
Channels TV reports.
He clarified that, ‘the
visa bond, as it is being called here, is not a £3,000 charge for a British
visa. That is not the case, it is not going to happen now and it is not going
to happen in the future. Visa fee, which is what you pay for a visa, will not go
to £3,000 or anywhere near it.’
Pocock also explained that
there are plans to influence the inflow of more Foreign Direct Investments
(FDI) from British companies into Nigeria.
He said this after ringing
the closing bell at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) in Lagos.
The United Kingdom is
reviewing its plan to introduce a £3,000 visa bond scheme.
“We have made it very clear
to our government in London that there is concern about this. So, this is being
reviewed and considered in London as we speak now.” he said
He further said the visa
bond is yet to be approved and if even its approved it will only apply to a
very minute number of the over 150, 000 Nigerians that will apply for UK visas.
He also said while there
were security concerns in Nigeria, they were not overwhelming in many respects
and could be managed.
He said the British
government will not jeopardize diplomatic ties with Nigeria with any move that
will call the relationship between both nations to question.
The British government had
proposed a new scheme under which some visitors from six commonwealth
countries, including Nigeria, would be asked to pay a £3,000 cash bond in
return for visas that allows them to stay in the UK for up to six months.
Other countries include
India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Ghana.
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