Nigeria Slashes Visa Fees For US Citizens

BREAKING: Nigeria Slashes Visa Fees For US Citizens

The Federal Government has slashed its visa application charges for citizens of the United States from $ 180 to $ 160 .

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the old amount comprised $ 160 as visa fee and $ 20 as “ processing and expedient fees ” .

According to the Comptroller -General of Nigeria Immigration Service , Mr Muhammad Babandede , the reduction followed a review of the US ’ visa reciprocity policy for Nigeria .

Babandede stated this in a February 5 memo marked NIS/ HQ / CGI / 806/ 7 and addressed to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

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 , H 1 B , 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 the President , Major General Muhammadu Buhari ( retd .) , launched the Nigeria Visa Policy 2020 which , among others , increased the country ’ s visa classes from six to 79 .

( NAN )

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