The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has said that its newly introduced visa on arrival  (VOA) facility was to attract foreign investments to the country.

The controller of immigration in charge of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Abdullahi Dalhatu, made the disclosure in Lagos on Friday.

He explained that the visa on arrival policy was meant to facilitate easy travels, especially urgent business trips as well as promote international trading activities.

The aim is to provide easy access to potential visitors who may not readily obtain normal  visas at the existing Nigerian Missions in their countries.

Mr Dalhatu said the facility was not a passport on arrival as earlier misconstrued.

According to him, the facility covers African and non-African citizens, who are not members of the Economic Community of West African states (ECOWAS).

“VOA is a class of short visit visa issued at the point  of entry and the facility is readily available to the frequently travelled high net worth investor,” Mr Dalhatu said.

He said travellers can apply for the VOA online, through the official website of the NIS, and a pre-approval granted to the applicant within 48 hours.

“It is the pre-approval slip that the visitor would use to board a flight using  his travel  passport,” he said, adding that “the service has created a ‘Special Desk’ in our office with a view to attend to such visitors on arrival.”

(NAN)