I would like to use this medium to inform you all of an ongoing issue with Nigerians in Ecuador, Venezuela and Colombia and their ripping off by the Nigerian embassy in Venezuela. Firstly, As you might all know, I had been having problems with passport renewal as well as other Nigerians in most of South America. To cut the story short, I contacted the embassy in Venezuela a couple of weeks ago
and they finally decided to renew the same old MRP passport since the e-passport wasn’t available in this region.
So, I called the embassy, the receptionist told me the passport renewal costs $70
I wrote an email to a consular member Mr. Yele Onafalujo, and he said it costs $75 [I have correspondence proof of all our emails together]
Then, I was told to include this amount of $75 into an envelope and send with my passport through FEDEX to the embassy office in Caracas.
This I did and when it arrived at the embassy Mr. Yele Onafalujo confirmed that my passport and the amount of $75 was received, he then referred me to one Mrs V.T Okwechime the Consular officer that was in-charge of the passport renewal. I wrote her an email; asking her as to why the cost was $75 which did not include the fee for returning to me, I had to pay FEDEX to send and receive the package. And also as why the same passport was being renewed in Argentina on the same continent for just $30 as stated on their website and desk office.
Well, she never replied nor mentioned anything about this and just mentioned that when the embassy gets my package they would renew it.
Well, after like 2 weeks, my passport was returned to me, the same old passport I sent to them, The only difference was just a stamp on page 3 that stated this passport has been extended till 2015 and signed by Mrs V.T Okwechime.
This taking into consideration that my passport just has a few blank pages left in it and would never in anyway last me till 2015.
Then I wondered what the whole passport renewal was all about.
Also, I was sent a receipt of $50 and not $75. So my $25 is not even accounted for.
So today, I wrote the embassy an email copying Mr. Yele Onafalujo and Mrs V.T Okwechime
This is a copy of the email:
Tops of the day to you all Mr. Yele Onafalujo and Mrs V.T Okwechime,
I am currently writing you both as you have been the ones that have been in correspondence with me on the passport renewal issue.
I currently have a few problems with the entire system.
1. My passport was simply stamped as renewed till 2015, while I just have a few blank pages left on it. How in the world is that supposed to carry me through 2015? Considering the fact that every nation wishes to place their visa or entry/exit stamps on a fresh page. I actually applied for a passport renewal simply because the current one was expiring and also there aren’t enough pages to see the passport through 2015.
I was charged $75 for the passport renewal process and all I get is a stamp? What if I end up running out of pages in the next year or 2, what do I do? spend another almost $80 and time to send my passport to your office and another $75 for passport renewal fees?
What is the essence of passport renewal if I’m not getting a new/fresh passport?
What if the passport I sent to you was without any empty pages? Would you have stamped it with an extension nonetheless and sent it back to me?
2. I actually called your embassy on a few occasions and asked for the fee for the passport renewal. The receptionist always says it costs $70, I wrote Mr. Yele and he mentioned $75, which Mrs Okwechime also corroborated and never objected to this price.
Now I receive my passport and all that is included is a receipt for $50. How is that possible? Where did the remaining $25 end up? Why and how come don’t I get a receipt for the entire $75 paid?
Taking into consideration that the same passport renewal costs $30 at the Nigerian embassy in Argentina http://www.nigerianembassy.org.ar/seccion.php?id=3
and this embassy issues a fresh passport and not just a stamp on a full/almost full passport!
Now, I would use this medium to state what I demand to be met in a week.
1. I demand a fresh MRP passport valid till 2015 and sent to my address.
2. I demand the receipt of the remaining $25.
I can furnish you all with the correspondence from the emails mainly with Mr. Yele Onafalujo and Mrs V.T Okwechime.
I can also send a copy of the receipt I was issued and any other information you might need.
In the email above I have stated my demands to them as an individual. I’d also like if the Nigerians in Diaspora committee can work with the Anti-corruption committee and give these people a real kicking.
We might firstly send an official letter to the Ambassador[Félix Oboro] there. [There emails never work or are never replied], Also to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Senate and House committees on Diaspora, the presidency, EFCC and ICPC.
So please let me know all I would need to provide for this.
Have a nice day.
Akinyemi Adeseye