By Issa Sikiti da Silva
People wishing to travel to the Central African nation of Gabon can now apply for visas online.
This announcement was made in the capital Libreville on Friday by Celestin Embinga, the head of DGDI (Direction Générale de Documentation et de l’Immigration).
Embinga, a police general, said the latest innovation forms part of the country’s e-government projects, which he said are aimed at making public services more accessible to Gabon citizens.
“The e-visa project consists of applying for an entry visa into Gabon online,” Embinga said.
One only needs to fill the form and click the send button, he added.
Oil-rich Gabon, a wealthy nation of 1.8 million people, last year emerged top in Francophone Africa for the its well-developed ICT sector.
The country has been criticised by many observers for its complicated visa procedures.
Regular travellers and some potential visitors to Gabon have welcomed the government’s decision to allow foreigners apply for visa via the internet.
“I think it will now make things easier and one will save time and energy of having to queue for a visa whose application will probably be thrown in the dustbin,” said Alain Musikelo, whose brother was refused an entry visa to Gabon, in the capital Kinshasa.
Gabon continues to bring a couple of innovations in its bureaucratic, slow administration, and the latest projects includes the announcement two days ago by DGDI of the launch of its website, www.dgdi.ga.
Embinga said the website would help Gabon visitors, temporary workers, foreign students, business people, among others, find all the information they need to know about living, working or studying in Gabon, the entry requirements and obtaining a travel document.
