Swedish authorities have recently declined to issue Schengen visas to certain Nigerians, citing concerns about the prevalence of corruption and forgery in the process of obtaining immigration documents in Nigeria, as indicated in a visa application denial document viewed by Peoples Gazette.
According to gazettengr.com, Twitter user, Balewa (@aprilbox), on Saturday, tweeted a document detailing reasons why the Swedish government denied a Nigerian applicant an entry visa to their country for tourism purposes for 14 days despite having the wherewithal to fund his trip.
The Embassy also wants to highlight that trade in forged documents by private individuals and corruption in connection with the issuing of documents by the authorities is very common in Nigeria,” reads the visa denial document.
Although the user told The Gazette the visa application was filed on July 10 at the Lagos VFS office in Lekki Phase 1, Lagos, we could not confirm the date the rejection letter was issued.
“Available country information indicates that the possession of a Nigerian id-document, even certified ones, does not guarantee the correct identity of a person,” asserted the Swedish embassy while noting that driving licence, birth certificates and passports were documents that were easily and cheaply forged.
“Many businesses specialize in issuing forged documents, and it is neither difficult nor expensive to obtain, for example a forged driving licence or other documents that in turn can be used to obtain for example a passport or birth certificate. According to investigations, there is a particularly brisk trade in forged documents in Benin City in Edo state (Country of origin information report Nigeria, March 2021, p. 42)” stressed the Swedish authorities.
The applicant was also informed that due to the ongoing socioeconomic crisis in Nigeria and their failure to demonstrate that they were firmly established in their home country, there was “high risk” that they would continue to stay in Sweden after their visa expired.
Other reasons given for the visa denial were that the applicant’s bank balance does not show their true worth since it was considered “movable assets.”
“Bank statements alone cannot prove that you are well established since a bank balance is also considered movable assets, and does therefore not tie you to your home country.
“The Embassy concludes that against this background, especially considering the general socioeconomic situation in Nigeria, you have failed to show that you are well established in your home country,” wrote the Swedish government. “Your application for a Schengen entry visa is refused.”
The Swedish embassy’s in Nigeria could not immediately be reached for comments as their office was closed on weekends.
