By: Fabakary Kebbeh
One of the principal roles of an embassy, beyond safeguarding the interests of its citizens abroad, is issuing visas. However, for Gambians, obtaining visas has become a daunting and frustrating process, especially when dealing with embassies in neighboring Senegal. The situation at the Senegalese VFS visa center in Dakar paints a grim picture: Gambians struggling to fill out forms, queuing at nearby internet cafés to photocopy documents, and facing language barriers. While some can communicate in Wolof, the administrative process is conducted entirely in French, putting many Gambians—especially those from rural areas—at a distinct disadvantage.
The economic burden of this process is another significant issue. Imagine a Gambian from a rural village traveling with an elderly parent applying for a visa to visit their children in France or Spain. They may not speak French, have no relatives to stay with in Dakar, and must bear the cost of accommodation, which often starts at 25,000 CFA (equivalent to 2,700 dalasi) per night. If the visa process takes an average of five days, the cost of staying in Dakar quickly adds up, not including visa fees, transportation, meals, courier services, and other administrative costs. All this is without the guarantee that the visa will be approved. In some cases, applicants wait months, far beyond their intended travel dates, only to be left without their passport or any clear resolution.
The opening of the German embassy in Banjul initially sparked hope among Gambians, only to later discover that visa processing still occurs in Dakar. This raises the question: what interests are these embassies really serving in The Gambia? Beyond minor projects like the construction of police stations, there seems to be little direct benefit for Gambians. There are even instances where Gambian police officers, seen wearing uniforms with badges from German states such as Baden-Württemberg, have been spotted in restaurants in Banjul, further fueling curiosity about their role. Some of these officers have stated that they are in The Gambia to train local police forces.
Applying for a German visa two years ago was relatively straightforward, despite the inconvenience of traveling to Dakar. Applicants could go online, fill out the form, and receive an appointment promptly. Today, securing an appointment has become an arduous task, with applicants sometimes spending up to a year refreshing embassy websites only to find no available dates. When emailing the embassy, applicants receive automated responses instructing them to continue checking the website. To make matters worse, there is a warning about fraudulent appointment sellers on both the website and in automated replies, yet the truth is that many people are falling victim to exactly this. At the VFS center in Dakar, some individuals are making money from desperate applicants, charging up to 30,000 Gambian dalasi for an appointment for Spain, Germany, or France. In some cases, applicants are given fake appointment slips, only to be turned away at the embassy.
Genuine travelers are also facing difficulties due to the 45-day visa rule imposed on Gambians as a result of the government’s non-cooperation with deportation agreements. Despite the fact that deportees are regularly returned on flights to The Gambia, law-abiding travelers with legitimate reasons to visit the EU are being penalized. They cannot secure appointments through the VFS website or through embassy websites, and emails are met with generic, unhelpful replies—even for those with invitations from credible EU partners. This bureaucratic gridlock frustrates genuine travelers and forces some to pay exorbitant fees to intermediaries in Senegal, often leading to scams.
The recent political tensions between Mali and European countries, where embassies of Sweden and Denmark were ordered to leave, further complicate matters for Gambians. How will this affect Gambian footballers traveling to these countries? What about families trying to invite relatives, or students applying for visas to study in Sweden? For certain types of visas, Gambians are required to travel as far as Egypt or Nigeria, adding yet another layer of complexity to the already burdensome process.
This situation begs the question: what is The Gambia’s foreign ministry doing to alleviate the suffering of its citizens? Why can’t there be a cooperation with VFS to establish a visa center in The Gambia that consolidates the operations of various embassies? Such a center would not only ease the visa process for Gambians but would also bring significant economic benefits, create employment opportunities, and preserve the dignity of those who currently endure the hardship of traveling to Senegal for a simple visa application.
A VFS center in The Gambia would boost the local economy by retaining the money spent on travel, accommodation, and other costs in Senegal. It would also help create jobs, streamline the visa process, and ultimately restore some dignity to Gambians navigating the complex and often frustrating world of international travel.
