Nigerians carrying fake visas, unknowingly or not, have actually arrived in T&T but were refused entry and returned to their port of origin.
This was confirmed by director of Corporate Communications Unit of the Ministry of National Security, Marcia Hope.
Hope was responding to questions from the T&T Guardian on recent international media reports of a fake T&T embassy in Nigeria selling fraudulent visas to this country.
“I was advised by the Enforcement Unit (Immigration Division) it is true that Nigerians arrived with fraudulent visas in Trinidad. They were refused entry, left in the care of the airline and returned to their port of origin,”Hope said.
T&T currently issues electronic visas and no longer places a wet seal (an ink stamp) visa on passports of Nigerian nationals.
“In fact, the wet seal is only used in rare circumstances authorized by the Immigration Division and for certain nationalities, like Cubans.
“This can only be obtained from the Trinidad and Tobago Missions. But for Nigerians this would not be possible,” Hope said.
She advised that people intending to travel to T&T should visit this country’s Immigration website to see if they require a visa and if they do there is a list of T&T missions abroad where they can submit their applications.
They can also submit an application online at Immigration. Visas@gov.tt.
The BBC and the Nigerian press ran a story earlier this week about the fake T&T embassy in Nigeria. The embassy, which was run by Chinese nationals in collaboration with Nigerians, swindled millions of dollars from people with the promise of T&T visas, flights and accommodation.
Nigerians said they came to T&T with the visas only be detained at the airport and then sent back to their country.
Nigerian police have busted the syndicate which was operating out of a hotel in Ejigbo.