The Minister of External Relations, Mbella Mbella Lejeune has announced that all applications for entry visas to Cameroon shall be completed exclusively online. The reform shall take effect from the 30th of April, according to a communiqué by minister Mbella Mbella. As of now, the e-visa which can be obtained by accessing the www.evisacam.cm. platform is the first step towards the digital transformation of Cameroon's diplomatic apparatus.
According to the minister, the following 4 steps will be used to obtain the visa. After logging in the website, applicants will have to do an online pre-enrolmemnt by creating a user account on the platform, then filling and validating an online form, which is the first step.
After receiving a notification confirming pre-enrolmemnt, it will be required of the applicants to make an online payment of requisite fees. This will be done from a variety of choices of payment options; Mastercard, visa, PayPal, Mobile money, Moov, Wave, Safaricom, Airtel, Vodacom and Africell and a notification of confirmation of payment shall be sent.
The third step will be the processing of the application which shall be done by the geographically closest competent Diplomatic Mission or Consular Post. An online visa issuance authorization, together with a QR code g shall be issued for applicants found in jurisdictions far away from diplomatic missions, or not covered by Missions.
A notification shall be sent to applicants residing in jurisdictions covered by competent Diplomatic Missions, scheduling an appointment to proceed with biometric enrollment. The aforementioned procedures shall be completed within 72hrs after pre-enrolmemnt. In the case of express visa application, the deadline shall be reduced to 24hrs the communique states.
Meanwhile affixing of the visa sticker comes in last place. This phase comprises of the affixing on the visa sticker on the applicant's passport or travel document. For holders of an online visa issuance authorization, the affixation of visa stickers shall be done at the entry Border Post.
Applicants having completed their their biometric enrollment at a competent Diplomatic Mission or Consular Post will have their visa sticker fixed at the said Mission or Consular Post.
Devised as a means to transform Cameroon into a more attractive destination, the system will in the same light serve as a platform to address some of the problems of Cameroon's diaspora and align her consular system with the highest international standards.
"The e-visa system shall gradually but steadily be installed at the various land and maritime border posts sooner than later" stated the minister in his press release, dating from 6th of April, 2023.
This step, it is believed, will be a huge relief to visa applicants, as they will no longer have to undergo the once tedious process of applying for a visa.
Sa'ah Siona Ikei, The Post Newspaper
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