U.S. Removes Visa Reciprocity Fees for Nigerians WEF 2nd December 2020
U.S. Removes Visa Reciprocity Fees for Nigerians WEF 2nd December 2020
The United States has announced the removal of visa reciprocity fees for Nigerians, thus lowering the fee paid by Nigerian citizens to obtain a visa. The removal took effect on 2nd December 2020.
The visa reciprocity fees, also known as the visa issuance fee, is usually charged in addition to the non-immigrant visa application fee.
The U.S. government had imposed the visa reciprocity fees in August 2019 after Nigeria failed to change its fee structure for U.S. citizen visa applicants, despite engagements on the same.
However, shortly after the imposition, Nigeria lowered the fee paid by U.S. citizens to obtain a visa in line with the government’s reciprocity policy.
The government of Nigeria now requires American citizens to pay just $160 for a visa, down from $180 (about 68,500 Nigerian Naira).
Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates has temporarily suspended the issuance of visitor visas to nationals of 11 countries, including Kenya, a move that seeks to limit the spread of COVID-19. Countries on the UAE’s suspension list are; Turkey, Pakistan, Iran, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Somalia, Kenya, and Afghanistan.
