Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Gambia)’s diplomatic circular Note Ref No: PR568/01/TEMPT/ (PP)

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Dear Mr M’Bai,

Please find below a piece I would like to submit to your platform if possible:

With reference to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Gambia)’s diplomatic circular Note Ref No: PR568/01/TEMPT/ (PP) of 22 September 2019 addressed to All Diplomatic Missions and International Organizations in Banjul and pertaining to the new visa free policy adopted by the Ministry of Tourism (Gambia) relating to The Gambia now being “a new Free Zone for all Charteredand Scheduled flights”, I wish to submit as follows:

Formerly, as a British passport holder or a British citizen, you were charged a fee of D500.00 (five hundred Dalasis) after a period of stay of 28 days in Gambia.

Now this previously levied fee has been changed to D1000 (one thousand Dalasis) per month.

Indeed,  this was the new fee that I, as a Gambian resident abroad with dual nationality, paid at Kairaba Station – immigration department.

To make matters worse, no official receipt was drawn to show that payment of the monies were or would be transferred into government coffers (which is a simple accounting procedure and financial regulations requirement), nor was any receipt or even any piece of document issued to me in acknowledgement of the payment, at least for my own records.

In the circumstances, I am of the considered view that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should make matters clear for the general public as regards all new immigration measures relating to the outside world, particularly these visa extensions fees, notably for the different periods or lengths of stay in The Gambia ie fees for 3 months  or 6 months or even l year.

By a concerned Diaspooran Gambian.pertaining to Formerly, as a British passport holder or a British citizen, you were charged a fee of D500.00 (five hundred Dalasis) after a period of stay of 28 days in Gambia.

Now this previously levied fee has been changed to D1000 (one thousand Dalasis) per month.

Indeed,  this was the new fee that I, as a Gambian resident abroad with dual nationality, paid at Kairaba Station – immigration department.

To make matters worse, no official receipt was drawn to show that payment of the monies were or would be transferred into government coffers (which is a simple accounting procedure and financial regulations requirement), nor was any receipt or even any piece of document issued to me in acknowledgement of the payment, at least for my own records.

In the circumstances, I am of the considered view that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should make matters clear for the general public as regards all new immigration measures relating to the outside world, particularly these visa extensions fees, notably for the different periods or lengths of stay in The Gambia ie fees for 3 months  or 6 months or even l year.

By A concerned Diasporan Gambian.

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