The South African Consul-General to Nigeria, Prof Bobby Moroe, has clarified that Nigerian singer Ayra Starr was denied a visa in February 2024 over submission of an inappropriate yellow fever certificate, not because of her status.
Speaking to Saturday PUNCH, Moroe said the rejection resurfaced in recent reports alleging that Starr and her team were denied entry visas, prompting the South African mission to meet with them to clarify requirements.
According to him, the challenge was that “they submitted the yellow fever certificate of another country when they were supposed to submit the yellow fever certificate of their home country.”
Moroe said the matter was later resolved amicably and Starr was granted a one-year visa to perform in South Africa in 2024.
He stressed that visa applications are assessed strictly on immigration requirements.
“If you meet the requirement for a visa, whether you are a star or not, tall, short, black or white, if you qualify, you will get it. But if you don’t, the immigration section will uphold the law,” he said.
He added that all travellers to South Africa must submit a yellow fever certificate from their home country as proof of vaccination.
