Nigeria Reduces Visa Fees For US Citizens

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

Naija News reports that the old amount charged for visa application consists of $160 as visa fee and $20 as “processing and expedient fees”.

In a memo addressed to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Comptroller-General of Nigeria Immigration Service, Muhammad Babandede said the reduction followed a review of the US’ visa reciprocity policy for Nigeria.

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, H1B, 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 travellers on request in line with reciprocity,” NAN quoted him as saying.