Liberians in Italy have lamented the difficulties they face in navigating visas and immigration structures between Liberia and Italy.

They told President Boakai at a townhall meeting in Rome, Italy on Tuesday, October 15th that passports renewal process in Liberia is cumbersome and affects the regularization of their immigration statuses in Italy.

They called for the setting up of a biometric data processing center at the Liberian embassy in Rome to help them deal with the Liberian passports renewal and acquisition process.

They also lamented difficulties in supporting their families join them emigrate to Italy. They attribute the difficulties to the lack of an Italian Embassy or Consulate in Liberia.

The Liberians implored President Boakai and the Government to work with the Italian Government to set up a consular presence in Monrovia to help deal with Italian visa and immigration procedures in country.

The setting up of an Italian consular office in Liberia will help reduce the stress Italy-based Liberians go through when they have to process their family members to join them in that country or to visit them in Italy.

Liberian students who attended the meeting with the President decried the high rate of education visa denials for Liberians. The students called for the setting up of a dedicated Liaison Office at the Liberian Embassy in Rome and at the Italian Embassy in Abidjan to deal with visa processing issues for Liberian students pursuing studies in Italy.

They urged the President to work with the Italian Government to address their concerns so as to improve relations and people to people exchanges between Liberia and Italy.

In response, President Boakai thanked the Liberian community in Italy for their ideas and interest to promote exchanges between Liberia and Italy and assured the group that he will take up their concerns with the Foreign Minister as early as practicable.

The Liberian leader is due to meet His Holiness Pope Francis later in the week and will return to the country on Sunday, October 20th.

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