The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in pursuit – unknown 

Owning a weak passport like the Nigerian Passport means endless visa applications which costs money and time. The process of visa application is sometimes discouraging that people would rather stay put than utilize their passport. With that being said, it is important to mention when the majority of people who own a weak passport don’t use it, it allows visa rules to remain rigid. The few of those who make it to the point of utilizing their passport face a lot of scrutiny through the visa process and immigration. 

There is this feeling when you travel with a weak passport that you have to ensure you abide by the rules and regulations to make sure you are not denied entry upon arrival. You do everything possible to make sure you have no issue with immigration while you endure the stares as your weak passport is identified. The issue of a weak passport led me to not explore Europe while living in the UK. I held on to the fact that  I did not have sufficient reason to visit other than for tourism. Europe is one of the cheapest continents to travel, a Schengen visa gets you almost everywhere in Europe.

“Location Privilege is a thing.”

So on moving to Canada, I decided I won’t let anything hold me back. The good thing about when you live abroad and you own a Nigerian passport, location privilege is a thing. This means because you live abroad and you have ties to your new country, you have a higher success chance when you apply for a visa.

Read: How to Increase Your Chance On Getting A U.S Visa

Of course, the case is different for those who live in Nigeria where they have been an indefinite ban on the U.S drop box waiver. The good thing is with a Nigerian passport, there are tonnes of countries you can visit either visa-free or get a visa on arrival. Here are a few countries you can visit visa free:

Leviosa Travel has put together a valentine weekend package to visit some of these visa free countries.

“You help dismiss stereotypes of nationals who hold a weak passport”

I recall feeling “I would get a different treatment ” because of the colour of my passport. While in front of immigration, they made a special call to confirm the genuinity of my visa. One of the best things to do when you find yourself in such a situation is to ensure you have all your documentation and information about your travel intention. This presents the opportunity to show that people who own a weak passport are not who they think they are. If you have dual citizenship and one of the passports is a weak passport I encourage you to travel with it because you have strong ties to your country of residence. Living in the diaspora is not just about getting a better life but giving your country a voice as well. 

The reason I encourage you to travel more with your Nigerian passport is that you send a message and help dismiss stereotypes of nationals who hold a weak passport. Dubai has been one country that has been able to recognize that Nigerians love to travel and they have made visa applications extremely easy for Nigerians. You get a visa within 2-8 days before departure. 

I love that Instagram & the internet as a whole are pushing people to travel more and you should not let your weak passport limit you. Here are countries you can visit with a visa on arrival if you hold a Nigerian passport :

On a final note on travelling more with your Nigerian passport, having a U.S visa and a Schengen visa provide even more opportunities to explore more countries visa-free. For more information on how to leverage your Nigerian passport, check out theufoma.

 

Disclaimer:  Visa and immigration policies change often. Be sure to visit country-specific embassy pages before proceeding with travel plans. For more on my disclaimer, read here.