The US government has announced that most Nigerians applying for non-immigrant visas will now only get single-entry three-month visas. The US Mission in Nigeria said this was to reciprocate Nigeria’s visa policy for Americans.
“Effective today, most non-immigrant & non-official visas for Nigerian citizens will be single-entry with 3-month validity…” the embassy said.
The US used to issue a two-year visa validity with multiple entries to many Nigerians before this new policy. Many others got a five-year visa with multiple entries.
However, in a statement issued on Tuesday, the embassy described the new policy as part of its global visa reciprocity process, which addresses the treatment American citizens receive in other countries.
“Visa reciprocity is a continuous process and is subject to review and change at any time, such as increasing or decreasing permitted travel entries and duration of validity.
“US visa criteria and standards are designed to protect the integrity of U.S. immigration systems. These standards are based on global technical and security benchmarks,” the embassy said.
This new policy comes as the US considers imposing visa bans and other travel restrictions on Nigeria.
In mid-June, PREMIUM TIMES reported that the Trump administration was considering imposing a visa ban and other travel restrictions on citizens of Nigeria and about 35 other countries.
This policy is considered a part of the government’s effort to crack down on immigration.
The US also recently initiated a policy that mandated the review of social media accounts of foreign students from Nigeria and other countries applying for student visas.
As a result, consular officers are now on the lookout for posts and messages that could be deemed hostile to the US, its “government, culture, institutions or founding principles.”
“It is an expectation from American citizens that their government will make every effort to make our country safer, and that is exactly what the Trump Administration is doing every single day,” the State Department said.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it did not initiate any new policy to trigger a reciprocal response from the US.
The ministry’s acting spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, told PREMIUM TIMES that the new US policy is likely in response to an old policy that is yet to be identified.
“It is not that we initiated or implemented a new policy that they are responding to. It is most likely a long time policy,” he said.
Mr Ebienfa also said, “It is important to understand that more Nigerians apply for Visa to go to the US than Americans apply to come to Nigeria. And so, the outflow cannot be compared.
He further stated that countries also have a right to implement policies that regulate the influx of people.
This, he said, can be a national policy, or it can also be based on “idiosyncrasy of the commander in chief.”
“Also, you know the problem Trump has been having with countries on the grounds that he is trying to protect Americans by reducing the influx of immigrants,” he said.
On Nigeria’s response, he said relevant authorities would study the policy and initiate a suitable response.
“We are assessing the new policy and its necessary implications. The government will respond soon after due consultation with relevant stakeholders,” he told PREMIUM TIMES.
SOURCE: premiumtimesng.com