Online Visa application on the rise

KIGALI - The number of people using online services to apply for Rwandan visas is on the increase, an official from the Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration has said. Innocent Niyonsenga said in an interview that the office has been encouraging applicants to use the online service which he said is more efficient and less time consuming.He said that that currently, between 200 and 300 applicants apply for visas to the country daily. According to the official website of the directorate, an online entry visa is issued for a single entry on any official point of entry in Rwanda and it is valid for 15 days but renewable up to 90 days maximum. “Our aim is to see that every applicant receives a feedback as soon as possible whether it is a yes or no,” Niyonsenga said yesterday. “In countries where we don’t have an embassy or diplomatic mission, applicants request for an entry facility online which is used to obtain a visa on any official point of entry in Rwanda,” Niyonsenga added. He added that because of this new system, the office has received many messages of appreciation for the improved services. On Labour Day, the directorate received a certificate of appreciation for being the best institution in customer care and service delivery from the Ministry of Public Service and Labor. In 2008, it also received the first INTEGO AWARDS for the National awards of Excellence in ICT in Best e-Government Solution Category. Ends