Journalism of Courage

FG reacts to US visa hike, reduces visa fee for US citizens

24 hours after the United Started (US) authorities increased the cost of visa applications for Nigerians, the federal government has reacted by reducing Nigeria’s Visa charges to US Citizens with effect from Thursday, 29th August, 2019.
A statement by the Director (Press & Public Relations), Ministry of Interior, Mohammed Manga, disclosed that the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has approved the decrease of Visa charges payable by US citizens in line with reciprocity policy.
The statement read: “the attention of the Ministry 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 to $160 with effect from Thursday, 29th August, 2019.”
The United States Embassy in Nigeria had on Tuesday increased its visa fee application effective from Thursday, August 29, 2019.
The embassy said in a statement that the increment was done based on “reciprocity”.

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