By Funke Osae-Brown


Towards the end of January this year, I got an invitation to be in South Africa on the 1st of March, 2017 to experience the new BMW 5 Series.

It was an event I had looked forward to considering my love for fast cars and the kind of beat I cover as a journalist.

As soon as I received the itinerary and other documents needed for my journey, I applied for the South African visa on the 13th of February. Conscious of the many challenges that come with getting a South African visa, I was advised to apply through one of South Africa’s accredited trade partners World ‘N’ Traveland (WONTRA).

The WONTRA staff who assisted me with the application process was very courteous. She guided me through the application requirements. At a point, she advised I get a statement of account from my host BMW in South Africa or their certificate of incorporation.

I declined to do this because I felt my statement of account and a letter of introduction from my organisation should be enough. She also advised I get a letter of authorisation from my husband. I told her I have that already because the last application I did I was asked for it.

This is a letter my husband find ridiculous to write! He argues it is a sexist requirement from an embassy. Why would he authorized a full-grown woman to travel because she is his wife, he reasoned? Anyway, I got him to give him the letter, even though I found it ridiculous too!


Since I was applying through WONTRA, I had to pay a premium price of N70, 000 instead of the official N8, 600 for visa fee and N22, 310 for VFS courier service. The lady at WONTRA told me the visa should be ready within the stipulated 10 to 15 working days by the High Commission. Based on a past experience and what others have told me, I decided to notify the few people I know handling South Africa related travel and tourism matters in Nigeria to use their connection to pull strings at the embassy so that my visa could be ready on or before my travel date. I knew I had about 13 days between my submission and travel dates to get my visa.

After 10 working days, I didn’t receive any news from the VFS. I decided to notify my contacts on the possibility of checking out my application status at the High Commission, they all told me to wait that I will surely get my passport on or before my travel date. As I sat behind my laptop to type this today, March 1st 2017, I am yet to receive my passport from the South African High Commission. I am supposed to travel tonight.

What is most painful about this experience is it seems the South Africa High Commission in Lagos smacks of arrogance and is consumed by a nonchalant attitude. For a country, that is promoting itself as a tourists’ destination in Nigeria, to be so rude to its visa applicants, beats me. In spite of all my efforts and my host’s (BMW) in South Africa effort to reach the High Commission in Lagos, there has been no response from the High Commission to emails sent and calls put through to them.

It seems to me the High Commission is populated lazy staff who have just refused to understand the importance of their job to the growth of the economy of their country. How can one explain applying for visa and you are yet to receive your passport 12 days or a month after application?

The South African High Commission can never claim to be busier that the United Kingdom or United States of America’s embassies in Nigeria. If you apply for UK or US visa, you can be assured to get your passport within 10 working days or less. There are people who have applied for the South African visa since February 3rd 2017 who are yet to receive their visas today, March 1st; that is almost a month after submitting their applications. Delaying the issuance of my visa and that of other four journalists’ I am supposed to travel with means BMW has lost a lot of money on booking business class tickets for us, paying for our accommodation, airport pick up and drop off and food for the number of days we are supposed to spend in South Africa.

You can imagine the loss to those going on personal trips who have paid for their flights, accommodation not to have received their visas days after their travel dates have passed?

If South Africa is truly serious about marketing itself as a tourists’ destination, its High Commission needs to drop its toga of arrogance and emulate countries like Dubai and Kenya where you get your visa within two days as is the case with Dubai or Kenya that issues visa on arrival. Little wonder, Dubai has the largest tourism market share in Nigeria.

SOUTH AFRICA HIGH COMMISSION RELEASE MY PASSPORT!!!

http://www.lailasblog.com/2017/03/my-nasty-encounter-with-south-african.html

Nigeria needs to buckle up

This is becoming too much

She fine sha

You arr telling us this story because tell when you are travelling to the moon. A lot of countries are aware of our animalistic characters so I can't blame them. I'm surprised trump didn't include our name self.

Driftingking:
By Funke Osae-Brown


If South Africa is truly serious about marketing itself as a tourists’ destination, its High Commission needs to drop its toga of arrogance and emulate countries like Dubai and Kenya where you get your visa within two days as is the case with Dubai or Kenya that issues visa on arrival. Little wonder, Dubai has the largest tourism market share in Nigeria.

SOUTH AFRICA HIGH COMMISSION RELEASE MY PASSPORT!!!

As a Nigerian, i am surprised you did not ask the South African high commission to emulate countries like Nigeria...

I support this E-Protest

Why did she apply late
10-15vworking days is likely a guide and not guaranteed.
It's her fault not the embassy. The embassy would not accelerate her visa application without proper screening or move her ahead of others already in the queue except maybe it's a nedical emergency. US, UAE or Uk may have better technology; hence they can process applications faster.

Next time apply early, that's all

She's not serious sha.

It's always clearly stated on all embassy websites to :

Never purchase tickets until you get your visa.

Apply as early as possible.

No fixed or stipulated time frame for visa processing.

If I were a visa consular staff, after reading this her rant and especially seeing she referred to them as lazy, we'll dump her application at the bottom of the pile for two more months and still deny her visa.

Her sense of entitlement is too much.

Nonsense.. why not ask them to emulate your own embassy in pretoria..

Font know why the always look down on us like we are some piece of shit....
.
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Cc: lalasticlala, ishilove, mynd44, obinoscopy

Font know why the always look down on us like we are some piece of shit....
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Cc: lalasticlala, ishilove, obinoscopy, DisGuy, justwise

I wonder if the Nigerian high commission is any better

Next time, book early

hmmm

Book early next time to avoid such. Our country is gone
http://www.naijxclusive.com/nigeria-this-is-our-life-now-what-nigeria-has-turned-into/

slimfit1:
You arr telling us this story because tell when you are travelling to the moon. A lot of countries are aware of our animalistic characters so I can't blame them. I'm surprised trump didn't include our name self.

people like you are the major problems of this country. your inferiority complex reaches the high heavens. Nigeria is no where near the worst countries of the world. our animalistic behaviors you said? this only shows you haven't left the comfort of your home to other nations of the world. what then will you call most south American countries. how many times have you seen anyone wish them dead? here is a supposed Nigerian claiming we deserve to die because he feels we are animals. shame on you and your entire generation

Really sorry to hear.

But if you truly want to understand what delay is, try CANADA.

That woman is beautiful


south africa is mad!

Nne, you haven't encountered the legendary Nigerian embassy in London.. Like someone said, always give enough for your application to go through..

You really have no right to complain when the Nigerian embassy in foreign lands have a way more nonchalant attitude to their work than any other embassy period. They treat you, their citizens, with the kind of disdain reserved for xenophobes and racists.

What a touching story.

Operation flush xenophobia.

Eya

slimfit1:
You arr telling us this story because tell when you are travelling to the moon. A lot of countries are aware of our animalistic characters so I can't blame them. I'm surprised trump didn't include our name self.

Where is your brain bro? Where?

Really?

You for go ABJ Lagos SA embassy na shit if you know give them money your passport go stay inside for 3 months sorry neh

Sorry about that.
But you should have applied yourself.
Something tells me that WONTRA you used is part of the problem. I don't know just saying, and again the document you said you 'felt' would be enough; in visa apps you don't 'feel' you give them exactly what they want.

slimfit1:
You arr telling us this story because tell when you are travelling to the moon. A lot of countries are aware of our animalistic characters so I can't blame them. I'm surprised trump didn't include our name self.

Bro South Africa don have problem with giving Nigeria woman visa she just know get luck nii even for SA dam know de stop Nigeria woman at all

ifyalways:
She's not serious sha.

It's always clearly stated on all embassy websites to :

Never purchase tickets until you get your visa.

Apply as early as possible.

No fixed or stipulated time frame for visa processing.

If I were a visa consular staff, after reading this her rant and especially seeing she referred to them as lazy, we'll dump her application at the bottom of the pile for two more months and still deny her visa.

Her sense of entitlement is too much.

. Aunty, hmnnnn. you no get church mind at all. "Two more months ke" !! Lol

slimfit1:
You arr telling us this story because tell when you are travelling to the moon. A lot of countries are aware of our animalistic characters so I can't blame them. I'm surprised trump didn't include our name self.

so many unintelligent folks here;Really you type all those gibberish shm your kids should be ashamed if you that is if you av

So she loves fast cars ? yet she thinks the bmw 5 series is a fast car hmmmmmm