Visa & Immigration

1. Ọ dị mkpa ka m nwee visa iji banye n'ala gị?

   oh dee MKPAH kah m NWEH-eh VEE-sah EE-jee BAH-nyeh n-AH-lah gee

   Do I need a visa to enter your country?

   Usage

   Used to confirm visa requirements before entering a country

   Grammar Note

   "Ọ dị mkpa ka m nwee ...?" = "is it necessary for me to have ...?". "Iji" is a purposive connector meaning "in order to."

2. Akwụkwọ njem m dị mma

   ah-KWOO-kwoh n-JEM m dee MAH

   My passport is valid

   Usage

   Used at immigration when presenting a passport

   Grammar Note

   "Akwụkwọ njem" literally means "travel paper," i.e., passport. "Dị mma" = "is in good/valid state."

3. Ebee ka ụlọ ọrụ Immigration dị?

   EH-beh kah OO-loh OH-roo ee-mee-GREH-shun dee

   Where is the immigration office?

   Usage

   Used to locate the immigration office for visa or entry procedures

   Grammar Note

   "Ebee ka ... dị?" is the standard frame for "where is ...?". "Immigration" is an English loanword; names of official bodies are often used as they are.

4. Achọrọ m ịmeghari akwụkwọ njem m

   ah-CHOH-roh m ee-MEH-gah-ree ah-KWOO-kwoh n-JEM m

   I need to renew my passport

   Usage

   Used when requesting passport renewal procedures

   Grammar Note

   "Achọrọ m" = "I need / want." "Ịmeghari" is the infinitive meaning "to renew".

5. Ọ bụ njem ntụrụndụ ka m bịara

   oh boo n-JEM n-too-roon-DOO kah m BEE-ah-rah

   I came for tourism / holiday travel

   Usage

   Used at immigration to state the purpose of travel

   Grammar Note

   "Ọ bụ ... ka m bịara" is a focus construction: "it is for ... that I came". "Ntụrụndụ" means recreation/leisure, giving "tourism".

6. Ogologo oge ole ka m nwere ike ịnọ ebe a?

   oh-GOH-loh-goh OH-geh OH-leh kah m n-WEH-reh EE-keh ee-NOH EH-beh ah

   How long can I stay here?

   Usage

   Ask about permitted length of stay on a visa or entry permit

   Grammar Note

   "Ogologo oge ole ka ...?" is the frame for asking a duration (the same frame appears in the volunteer cards). "Nwere ike" = "be able to".

7. Edeere m ihe niile dị na akwụkwọ a

   eh-DEH-reh m EE-heh n-EE-leh dee nah ah-KWOO-kwoh ah

   I have filled in everything on this form

   Usage

   Inform an officer that you have completed all fields on an immigration form

   Grammar Note

   "Edeere" is the perfect of "ịde" (to write). "Ihe niile" is a universal quantifier meaning "all things."

8. Ị nwere ike itinye stampụ n'akwụkwọ m?

   ee n-WEH-reh EE-keh ee-TEEN-yeh STAM-poo nah-KWOO-kwoh m

   Can you stamp my document?

   Usage

   Request an entry stamp or official certification on a document

   Grammar Note

   "Ị nwere ike" = "are you able to / can you?" "Itinye" is the infinitive "to put/insert"; "stampụ" is the loan from English "stamp".

9. Visa m agwụola oge

   VEE-sah m ah-GWOO-oh-lah OH-geh

   My visa has expired

   Usage

   Explain that a visa has passed its expiry date

   Grammar Note

   "Agwụola" is the perfect of "ịgwụ" (to finish/expire) with the suffix "-la" marking completion.

10. Achọrọ m ịgbanwe ụdị visa m

    ah-CHOH-roh m ee-GBAH-n-weh OO-dee VEE-sah m

    I need to change my visa type

    Usage

    Used when applying to change from one visa category to another

    Grammar Note

    "Ịgbanwe" is the infinitive of a verb meaning "to change / exchange" (the same root as "ego mgbanwe", currency exchange).

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