Following the report that the United State of America, US, had increased the visa fees for Nigerians seeking US visa, the federal government has given in to pressure and reduced visa fee of US citizens seeking Nigerian visa.
Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, who revealed this in a statement on Wednesday, said that the ministry’s attention was drawn to the introduction of reciprocity fee for all approved applications for non-immigrant visas in B, F, H1B, I, L, and R visa classifications.
According to the statement, the ministry noted, “The attention of the Ministry of Interior has been drawn to the introduction of reciprocity of Visa Fees by the United States of America. The Ministry acknowledges that there were engagements with the United States Embassy on the issue and in the aftermath, a Committee was set up to conduct due diligence in line with the Ministry’s extant policy on reciprocity of Visa fees.”
“The Committee had concluded its assignment and submitted a Report but the issuance of authorisation for its recommendations was delayed due to transition processes in the Ministry at the policy level.
“The Honourable Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has approved the decrease of Visa charges payable by US citizens in line with reciprocity policy as recommended by the Committee.
“Accordingly, the Comptroller-General of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Muhammad Babandede, has been directed to implement the decrease in Nigeria’s Visa charges to US Citizens with effect from Thursday, 29th August, 2019.”