ISLAMABAD – The parliamentarians of Pakistan were left shocked when they were informed that Stockholm embassy officials issued 700 illegal visas to Afghans.
The disclosure was made during the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Assembly wherein several other issues were also discussed.
As far as the issue of illegal visas to Afghans is concerned, the officials from Federal Investigation Agency said the officer behind the activity was currently in FIA custody and investigations are underway.
The Foreign Ministry officials briefed the committee members about the Pakistani visa issuance to Afghan citizens from the Sweden Embassy in Pakistan and said that the normal processing time is 30 days while visa issuance was stopped after the current issue surfaced; the Foreign Office in Islamabad has ordered an immediate inquiry into the reports.
The committee chaired by Mohsin Dawar was also told that over 0.6 million visas were issued to Afghan nationals, in a year and a half, against 0.9 million visa applications received.
It bears mentioning that the Sweden embassy in Pakistan was shut over security concerns a few weeks back; however, it was later informed that the citizens of Pakistan and persons residing in the country need to visit Ethiopia to process their visas.
In an official statement posted on the website, the embassy stated that those who have been instructed by the Swedish Migration Agency to book an appointment for an interview, biometrics or passport check-in applications for a residence permit due to family ties, studies or work are referred to the Embassy of Sweden in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
‘This also applies if you want to apply for a visitor’s permit to visit Sweden for more than 90 days. It is the sole responsibility of the applicant to arrange for a visa if required by Ethiopia,’ the embassy said.
What exacerbates the situation is the fact that the Embassy of Sweden will not assist or give information on any matters regarding entry into Ethiopia for Pakistanis.
The embassy also advised that the waiting time can change quickly and so tickets should not be booked before having received a confirmed appointment from the Embassy of Sweden in Addis Ababa.
The embassy has advised that when booking an appointment in Addis Ababa, it is of utmost importance that applicants provide case or dossier numbers, full names, and date of birth of all applicants as well as information on spoken languages.
‘It is not necessary to contact the Swedish Migration Agency or the Embassy of Sweden in Islamabad to have your case moved in case you have previously been instructed to book an appointment there,’ the embassy said.
Detailing the procedure which is visibly complex, the embassy said after the visit at the Embassy of Sweden in Addis Ababa, the case will be sent back to the Swedish Migration Agency for processing and decision.
The embassy has clarified that no query on the estimated waiting time can be answered.
‘In case your application is granted, a residence permit card will be produced as proof of your right to travel to Sweden. It is necessary to have a residence permit card in order to travel to Sweden. The card will automatically be sent to the Embassy of Sweden in Addis Ababa. If you wish for your residence permit card to be sent to the Swedish Migration Agency in Sweden and picked up by a person to whom you give a power of attorney, such as a family member, this has to be clearly stated at the visit at the Embassy of Sweden in Addis Ababa, before you give your fingerprints,’ the official statement read.
To the displeasure of many, it has also been informed point blank that residence permit cards can not be sent to the Embassy of Sweden in Islamabad.
The embassy has also informed the applicants that it generally takes 3-4 weeks before a residence permit card arrives in Addis Ababa after a decision is made and when the card arrives in the embassy, it is conveyed through email.
