Netherlands stops issuing visas to Nigerians

The embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Nigeria on Tuesday reminded Nigerians that it is no longer in charge of issuing visas to them.

Michel Deleen, the embassy’s charge d’ affaires, told NAN in Lagos that the embassy had since 2013, delegated its visa issuance processes in Nigeria to the French Consulate General in Lagos and the embassy of Belgium in Abuja.

“Let me remind Nigerians that since 2013, the embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Nigeria had signed agreements with the French consulate-general in Lagos and the embassy of Belgium in Abuja,” he said.

“What this means is that we have swapped our visa application processes in Nigeria with the French consulate-general in Lagos and the embassy of Belgium in Abuja.

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“Let me remind Nigerians that under these agreements, any Nigerian that wants to visit the Netherlands for business, study or tourism should always process their visa applications through the French consulate-general
in Lagos and the embassy of Belgium in Abuja.”

Deleen also enjoined Nigerians to always apply for visas to the Netherlands, through VFS Global to the French consulate-general in Lagos and the embassy of Belgium in Abuja.

The charge d’ affaires said it was important for Nigerians and other nationals in Nigeria to know that VFS Global was the internationally-authorised organisaton for receiving all visa applications.

“Let me also advise anyone seeking visas to the Netherlands through the French consulate-general in Lagos and the embassy of Belgium in Abuja,to always first apply through VFS Global.

“When you first apply to VFS Global for visas to the Netherlands, VFS Global would thereafter send them to the French consulate-general in Lagos and the Embassy of Belgium in Abuja for processing.”