- Advertisement -spot_img
34.3 C
Lagos
HomePoliticsNigeria Slashes Visa Fees For US Citizens To $160

Nigeria Slashes Visa Fees For US Citizens To $160

- Advertisement -spot_img

In an apparent move to reduce the area of friction between the country and the United States (US), Nigeria has slashed its Visa application fees for the American citizens from $180 presently to a new $160 fee.
The reduction in Visa charges, according to a memo by the Comptroller-General of Nigeria Immigration Service, Muhammad Babandede was to align the country Visa charges with the US.
Babandede said the reduction followed a review of the US’ visa reciprocity policy for Nigeria.
Nigeria’s old Visa fee comprised $160 as Visa fee and $20 as “processing and expedient fees.”
In August 2019, the US government imposed additional visa fees on Nigerians in retaliation for the “treatment afforded to US citizens” by the Nigerian government.
The policy required successful applicants for nonimmigrant US visas in the B, F, H1B, I, L, and R categories to pay between $80 and $303 as reciprocity fees.
This is in addition to the normal visa application fees of between $160 and $190.
“The total cost for a U.S. citizen to obtain a visa to Nigeria is currently higher than the total cost for a Nigerian to obtain a comparable visa to the United States.
“The new reciprocity fee for Nigerian citizens is meant to eliminate that cost difference,” the US Embassy said in a statement on its website then.
In his letter, the NIS urged all Nigerian missions in the US to immediately implement the new visa charges payable by US citizens, and “discontinue charging processing or expedient fees”.
“Our Missions are to issue up to two years multiple entry visa to frequent short visit travelers on request in line with reciprocity,” he said.
A senior official of the Nigerian Consulate in New York, told NAN that the “processing and expedient fees” of $20 was for online application and payment services rendered by a private firm.
NAN reports that Babandede’s letter came a day after President Muhammadu Buhari launched the Nigeria Visa Policy 2020 which, among others, increased the country’s visa classes from six to 79.
U.S. President Donald Trump issued an expanded version of his travel ban on Friday as part of a presidential proclamation which said Washington would suspend the issuance of visas that can lead to permanent residency for nationals of Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, and Nigeria.
Temporary visas for tourists, business people, students and workers from those nations will not be affected, it said.
U.S. officials said the countries failed to meet U.S. security and information-sharing standards, which necessitated the new restrictions.
Nigeria, the most populous nation in Africa, is the biggest country on the list whose citizens will be suspended from U.S. visas that can lead to permanent residency.

Join Our Mailing List!

* indicates required
- Advertisement -spot_img
- Advertisement -spot_img
Must Read
Related News
- Advertisement -spot_img