Recently I got a call from an old friend in the banking industry requesting for my help on an account that was domiciled in one of the branches I managed while I was still in the industry.
The account with a considerable balance in 6 digits had no verifiable home address. no BVN, no valid ID, no email address and off course no valid phone number attached to it. There has also been no withdrawals but deposits on the account for over a decade.
The account in question belong to a customer that has been in diaspora for over a decade. He has been working very hard in diaspora sending cars and other good to friends and prospective buyers in Nigeria. He uses his hard earned foreign currency to purchase the items while his buyers pay the Naira equivalent into his Nigerian bank account.
He never had worries because his sister whose phone number was registered on the account ensure that he gets updates on payments from his customers here in Nigeria.
I remembered very well that I made several efforts to let him see the need to provide proper documentation for the account that was having considerable balance and growing. I also remember that I proposed at a time that he should provide documents so that we recognise the account as a diaspora account so he can transact on it from anywhere in the world he resides. But all to no avail.
Now he is back in the country and has not been able to access his account because there was no proper documentation in place to evident his ownership of the account and considering the huge balance in the account, the bank is being careful not to release the money to a look alike fraudster.
This incident motivated this my new article on How Diaspora Nigerian Can Obtain Their BVN With Ease and attach it to their Nigerian Bank Account. Because if he had obtained his BVN from anywhere in the world he was residing and attach same to his account here in Nigeria, the issue would have been a no issue at all.
So here is how a Nigerian in diaspora can obtain BVN and attach it to his Nigerian bank account with ease.
Enrollment Steps
- Log-on to Online Integrated Solutions (OIS) or VFS Global website
- Select Location
- Click on the BVN ENROLMENT TAB
- Read BVN Enrolment Instruction
- Download BVN enrolment form
- Book BVN Biometric Capturing Appointment
- Print Appointment Booking Slip
- Visit BVN Enrolment Center on the Appointed Date with Enrolment Requirement.
Requirement For Enrolment
- Valid ID (Drivers Licence or International Passport)
- One recent passport photograph
- Enrolment fee or evidence of payment of enrolment fee
- Log-on to NIBSS website and Click the: LINK BVN TO ACCOUNT Tab
- Login with Username and password and link BVN to existing Nigerian Bank Accounts (Username and Password will be sent to your registered email account after capturing)
This enrolment process is done only once and your BVN is linked to all your Bank Accounts across all Nigerian Banks.
Here are the BVN enrolment centers in different part of the world
Australia
- Melbourne: VFS Global (BVN Enrolment Centre) Suite 4, Level 12, 55 Swanston Street, Melbourne, Victoria – 3000. Working Hours – 09:00 to 15:00 (Monday to Friday) Email: bvninfoaustralia@vfsglobal.com Helpline: +612 9252 1152
China
- Beijing: OIS SERVICES, Unit 1 Suite 1801, Kun Sha Building, 16 Xin Yuan Li Str, Chaoyang District, Beijing PRC. Opening times: Monday to Friday (9:00am – 4:00pm). RMB300 – enrolment fee. Tel: +86-1084004549
- Guangzhou: OIS SERVICES, Unit 27/28, 41st Floor, R&F To-Win Building, 30 Huaxia Rd, Tianhe District, Guangzhou PRC. Opening times: Monday to Friday (9:00am – 4:00pm). RMB300 – enrolment fee. Tel: +862089196634
- Shenzhen: AVANTE Global Services: China (Permanent location) Avante Electronic Technology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. 409, Building Zhichuang, Building 1, Industrial Zone, Nanshan, Xili, Changuang, Shenzhen, China. Hours: Monday to Friday (9:00AM to 5:00PM). E-mail: sz@avanteglobalservices.com. Tel: 0755-83763739
Egypt
- Egypt: AVANTE Global Services: Cairo (Permanent location). 28 Sharagama Street, Zahraa, Ezbet el-Haggana, Nasr City, Cairo 11765, Egypt. Hours: by appointment only Email: bvn-cairo@avantetech.com Phone: +20 103 321 1618
France
- Paris: 7 rue Daru, 75008 Paris France (1st Floor). Opening times: Monday to Friday (9:00am – 12:30pm & 1:30pm – 4:00pm). €40 enrolment fee. Payment method: Cash. Tel: +33 7 58 07 76 11.
India
- Mumbai: VFS Global (BVN Enrolment Centre) Urmi Axis Building, Third Floor, Behind Famous Studio, Opp. E Moses Road. Working Hours – 09:00 to 17:00 (Monday to Friday). No appointment is required, walk in to enroll. Email – bvnfeedbackwestindia@vfshelpline.com. Helpline: +91 – 22 – 66008514
- Mumbai (Maharashtra): OIS Visa Services, Quest Offices Pvt. Ltd., 8th Floor, Parinee Crescenzo, C38 & 39, G Block, Bandra Kurla Complex, Bandra (East) Pin: 400051, Maharashtra, India. Opening times: Monday to Friday (10:00am – 12:30pm & 2:00pm – 4:00pm). Rs.3600 enrolment fee. Tel: +91 22 48800743.
- New Delhi: OIS Visa Services, C/O Central Board of Irrigation & Power Plot No. 4, Ground Floor, Institutional Area Opp. Sarvodaya School Malcha Marg, Chanakyapuri New Delhi, India. Opening times: Monday to Friday (10:00am – 12:30pm & 2:00pm – 4:00pm). Rs.3600 enrolment fee. Tel: +91 11-4721 9050, +91 8800530119
Italy
- Rome: Online Integrated Solutions S.R.L., Via Sicilia, 30 00187 Rome, Italy. Opening times: Monday to Friday (10:00am – 4:00pm). €40 enrolment fee. Payment method: Credit or Debit card only
Japan
- Japan: AVANTE Global Services: Tokyo (Permanent location). Tokyo, Japan 9F TOHO Hibiya Building, 1-2-2, Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 100-0006, Japan. Hours: by appointment only. Phone: +81 70 1252 251
Lebanon
- Beirut: OIS Services, Jnah-Beirut Opposite Rafik Hariri University Hospital Mais 6 Building – 3Rd Floor P.O.Box 9 UNESCO. Opening Times: 9am – 4pm. Enrolment fee: $45 or 68000 Lebanese Pounds. Help Desk: infobeirut@oisservices.com Tel: 009611845138
Malaysia
- Kuala Lumpur: 36.01 Level 36 Menara Citibank, 165 Jalan Ampang 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Opening times: Monday to Friday (9:00am – 12:00pm and 1:00pm –5:00pm). RM200 Enrolment fee. Tel: +60321697000, +60321697003
Netherlands
- The Hague: OIS Services: First Floor, Regus Building, Koningin Juliana Plein 10. Postcode 2595AA, The Hague Central Station, Netherlands. €40 enrolment fee. Opening times: Monday to Friday (9:00am – 12:30pm and 1:30pm – 4:00pm). Email: infothehague@oisservices.com Telephone no: 0031708915324
New Zealand
- Auckland: VFS Global (BVN Enrolment Centre) 87-89 Albert Street, Ground Level, Suite 2, Auckland 1010, New Zealand. Working Hours – 10:30 to 16:30 (Monday to Friday). Email – bvninfonewzealand@vfsglobal.com Helpline: +6493695669
South Africa
- Johannesburg: OIS SERVICES, 6 Bolton Road Parkwood Rosebank, 2193. Johannesburg, SA. Opening times: Monday to Friday (9:00am – 4:00pm). R615 enrolment fee. Payment method: Point-of-Sale. Tel: +27 112682376; +27 112682470.
Tanzania
- Dar es Salaam: AVANTE Global Services: Avante Technology Tanzania Ltd. (Permanent location) Plot No. KH16, Mivinjeni, Kilwa Road, Kurasini, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Hours: Monday to Friday (9:00AM-5:00PM), Saturday (09:00AM – 2:00PM). E-mail: tz@avanteglobalservices.com Tel: +255222112810, +255735004938
Turkey
- Ankara: OIS Services Danismanlik Ltd. Sri Kazim Ozalo MH. Koza SK. No:35/3 Cankaya/Ankara. Opening times: Monday to Friday (9:00am – 12:30pm & 2:00pm – 4:00pm). 230 Turkish Lira enrolment fee. Tel: 00903124382175, 00903124382176
United Arab Emirates
- Dubai: OIS SERVICES, 22A (22nd floor), Silver Tower, Cluster I, Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai, U.A.E. Opening times: Sunday to Thursday (9:00 am – 4:00 pm) 180 AED enrolment fee. Tel: +971 4 276 5448.
United Kingdom
- London: OIS Services, 56-57 Fleet Street, London EC4Y 1JU, UK. Opening times: Monday to Friday (10:00am – 4:00pm). 30 pounds enrolment fee (Card payment only at the center.) Tel: +44 (0) 20 7832 0001.
United States
- Atlanta: OIS Services, Suite 204, 918 Holcomb bridge road, Roswell, Atlanta, GA 30076. Opening times: Monday to Friday (9:00am – 4:00pm). $45 enrolment fee. Payment method: Credit or Debit Card, Money order in favor of Online Integrated Solutions Inc. Tel: +1 404 695 6373
- Houston: OIS Services, Suite 745, 9894 Bissonnet Street, Houston, TX 77036. Opening times: Monday to Friday (9:00am – 4:00pm). $45 enrolment fee. Payment method: Credit or Debit card only. Tel: +1 713-771-1871
- Los Angeles: OIS Services, Suite 302, 11222 S. La Cienega Blvd Inglewood, CA. 90304. Opening times: Monday to Friday (9:00am – 4:00pm). $45 enrolment fee. Payment method: Credit or Debit card only. Tel: +1 213 705 2978
- New Jersey: AVANTE Global Services: USA (Permanent location). 70 Washington Road, Princeton Junction, NJ 08550. Hours: Monday – Friday 9:00AM to 3:00PM. E-mail: nj@avanteglobalservices.com. Tel: +1609 799 8896
- New York: 370 Lexington Ave, Suite 1505 New York, NY 10017. Opening times: Monday to Friday (9:00am – 4:00pm). $45 enrolment fee. Payment method: Credit or Debit Card, Money order in favor of Online Integrated Solutions Inc. Tel: +1 917 900 1114
- Texas: AVANTE Global Services: Dallas, TX, USA (Permanent location). 9450 Skillman Street Suite #120, Dallas, TX, 75243. Hours: Monday to Friday (9:00am to 5:00pm, by appointment only) Phone: +1 (214) 763 5409
- Washington: OIS, Washington DMV, 11900 Parklawn Drive, Suite 160, Rockville, MD, 20852. Opening times: Monday to Friday (9:00am – 4:00pm). $45 enrolment fee. Payment method: Credit or Debit Card. Tel: +1 301-231-7000
