Police Certificate from Nigeria

[SweetBliss 0]

Hi Paul, I sent you a PM ...Hope this helps....

Lisa

[Paul & Evelyn 0]

Good thinking! The truth is, that part of the way we are able to obtain resources such as our oil is through high-level bribery under a different name.

Hey Old Dominion. I added this to our story, but since you were following this thread, I figured you're gonna love this.

Evelyn has her Nigerian Police Certificate. The going price for Police Certificates in Lagos Nigeria ranges from $50 USD (not including photos or fingerprints) up to $400 or more, depending on how bad or how quickly you want it or need it. Someone suggested that I send Evelyn $USD's and not Naira, since $USD's get a better exchange on the black market there ($100 will get you 20,000 Naira). The official exchange rate right now is 146-147 Naira per $USD via MoneyGram. I sent Naira to Evelyn, because I wanted to do it legitimately. Evelyn was charged 18,500 Naira for her Police Certificate, which is approx $126, including photos and fingerprints. We will never know how much of that $126 was an overcharge for the Police Certificate. It's almost like ordering off the a la carte menu and over-tipping the server for the really good stuff.

[WhidbeyGirl 1]

Should I have SO go to Nigeria and get his police cert now? or should I wait until NOA2 (haven't even gotten NOA1 yet).

[Paul & Evelyn 0]

Should I have SO go to Nigeria and get his police cert now? or should I wait until NOA2 (haven't even gotten NOA1 yet).

Right now is too early for you. You just filed on 2/23. I believe Nigeria says they are only good for 90 days, but I don't know that to be fact. Someone out here told me that, and it seemed to be quite credible advice. Give it about 3 months, then send him on the overland bus trip home. It takes 10 days or so one-way, but it is cheaper than flying. I asked Evelyn to research the cost, but she never got that information because I made the quick decision to fly her back there. Oh, and it's not a bus like you or I would expect in this country. It quite a bit less refined, to be polite. Your SO probably already knows that. Evelyn came to Senegal via the overland route, but it took 14 days because the bus broke down along the way. I had to fly Evelyn when I did, because it seemed things were rapidly picking up speed. I was right. From what I can tell, the Embassy will probably have her packet ready for her during the week immediately following her return. All indications from this website are that the Embassy in Dakar is quite fast compared to some other embassies on these things, so you need to be ready.

[WhidbeyGirl 1]

Should I have SO go to Nigeria and get his police cert now? or should I wait until NOA2 (haven't even gotten NOA1 yet).

Right now is too early for you. You just filed on 2/23. I believe Nigeria says they are only good for 90 days, but I don't know that to be fact. Someone out here told me that, and it seemed to be quite credible advice. Give it about 3 months, then send him on the overland bus trip home. It takes 10 days or so one-way, but it is cheaper than flying. I asked Evelyn to research the cost, but she never got that information because I made the quick decision to fly her back there. Oh, and it's not a bus like you or I would expect in this country. It quite a bit less refined, to be polite. Your SO probably already knows that. Evelyn came to Senegal via the overland route, but it took 14 days because the bus broke down along the way. I had to fly Evelyn when I did, because it seemed things were rapidly picking up speed. I was right. From what I can tell, the Embassy will probably have her packet ready for her during the week immediately following her return. All indications from this website are that the Embassy in Dakar is quite fast compared to some other embassies on these things, so you need to be ready.

OK will wait, I'm just a proactive person instead of a reactive one and I want to be sure I have all my ducks in a row. My other worry though is that he has lived MANY places and it reads like he will have to get police reports from each and every place he has been in for over 6 months in Nigeria and over 1 year in other countries.

[GShilobod 0]

There is an immigration office near the US consulate that does the police certificates. The price is 5500n which is about $35. It takes about a day to process. This IS legitimate. My fiance, Vera, went there today. I will have her get me the exact location of it when she goes back tomorrow to pick it up. Vera has lived in Lagos all her life so she knows the ins and outs. She had her own travel agency at one time in Lagos which is how she knew about this immigration office. If anyone is needing help/advice during their visa process in Lagos in the next month or two (while Vera is there ;-) ) she will be more than happy to help. Just send me the phone number and name to your fiance and I will have Vera call them.

Don't pay more than you have to. Vera KNOWS how to get the RIGHT price, without bribery, etc. She is a very good negotiator. Trust me, I've seen her work her magic many times in my 3 trips to Lagos and consider this, a white man (me) was by her side. Usually there is a different price, much higher, for a white man in Lagos. lol. That's just the way it is but we refuse to pay a higher price than the normal price.

I've also seen many concerns posted here about using the black market for money exchange. There is nothing wrong with this. It is not against the law. Why pay a bank more to exchange money??? I've lived in several countries over the last 30 years and have used the black market to exchange money in every one of them and I've never had a problem with forgery. This is the way these people make a living so why no get a better rate? They can give you a better rate because they do not have the overhead and upkeep that a bank has to worry about. Besides, if your fiance is a native of that country I'm sure he/she already has someone they do business with on a regular basis to exchange money.

George

[GShilobod 0]

My fiance sent me an sms that said it is the Central Criminal Registry, Rm 47 in Ikoyi. It shares the same compound as the Nigerian Immigration Service. I hope this helps!