The Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Muhammad Babandede, has adjusted the visa fee for American citizens to $160 in deference to the directive of the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola.
The change has been effected in the service’s portal with all diplomatic and consular missions advised complying effective August 29, 2019.
A statement from the NIS yesterday in Abuja said the minister exercised the powers conferred on him in Section 30 subsection (1) of the Immigration Act, 2015.
The change comes barely 24 hours after the US jacked up its visa fee for Nigerians as a reciprocal move to the high fee charged by the Nigeria on American citizens.Nigeria had increased her visa fee for Americans to $180.
However in a swift response to the reciprocal increase, Nigeria reduced visa charges payable by United States citizens from $180 to $160.
The Interior Minister, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, had on Wednesday, directed the Comptroller-General of Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, Muhammad Babandede, to implement the decrease in the visa charges with effect from Thursday.
The development was sequel to the new visa regime announced by the US Government on Tuesday, stating that Nigerians applying for US visas would be required to pay a visa issuance fee, or reciprocity fee, with effect from August 29.
The US Mission in Abuja had said that the reciprocity fee would be charged in addition to the non immigrant visa application fee, also known as the Machine Readable Visa fee, which all applicants pay at the time of application.
By the reciprocal American visa regime, Nigerian visa applicants would pay $110 for B1, B2, B1/B2; F1 and F2 while H1B and H4 visas attract $180. I visa applicants would cough out $210 while L1, L2 applicants would pay $303 and R1 and R2 $80.
The US had explained that the reciprocity fee was applicable to all approved applications for non immigrant visas in B, F, H1B, I, L, and R visa classifications, noting that Nigerian citizens whose applications for a non immigrant visa were denied would, however, not be charged the new reciprocity fee.
The Mission explained that both reciprocity and MRV fees are non-refundable, and their amounts vary based on visa classification.
But the ministry in a statement by its spokesman, Mohammed Manga, had said a committee set up to conduct due diligence in line with the ministry’s extant policy on reciprocity of visa fees had earlier engaged with the US embassy on the issue, adding that the implementation of its recommendations was delayed due to “transition processes in the ministry at the policy level.”
It said, “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 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, Muhammad Babandede, has been directed to implement the decrease in Nigeria’s visa charges to US Citizens with effect from August 29, 2019.”
After more than 18 months of unfruitful negotiations with the Nigerian government to reduce her high visa fee, the United States Embassy had on Tuesday invoked its reciprocity rule.
According to a statement by the Public Affairs Section (PAS) U.S. Consulate General in Lagos: “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.”
It said the new fee for all approved applications for non-immigrant visas in categories: B, F, H1B, I, L, and R would begin on Wednesday.
The statement added: “The reciprocity fee will be charged in addition to the non-immigrant visa application fee, also known as the MRV fee, which all applicants pay at the time of application. Nigerian citizens whose applications for a non-immigrant visa are denied will not be charged the new reciprocity fee. Both reciprocity and MRV fees are non-refundable, and their amounts vary based on visa classification.”
Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom have some of the most expensive visa regime, with applicants being subjected to multiple scrutiny and bureaucratic tapes by consular and security agencies.
United States citizens pay as much as $270 for a single-entry visa. They are also charged $160 for consular services, another $100 for ‘administration’ and $10 for ‘ processing.’
As at May 2018, Mr. Sunday James, the deputy comptroller in charge of information management at the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), was quoted by local media as saying he was “not aware that Nigeria’s visa was among the most expensive.”
The House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora had, in December 2017, queried the NIS for demanding exorbitant amounts for visas.
The reciprocity rule entails that Nigerian applicants will now pay an application fee of $160 and another $110 for visa issuance if successful. They also have a grace period of five days to pay the additional issuance fee. Further inquiry by The
Findings by The Guardian also showed that Nigerian citizens are not the only ones required to pay a reciprocity fee. The Department of State reviews the amounts foreign governments charge U.S. citizens on a regular basis and adjusts its fee schedules accordingly. It also requires citizens of countries that charge higher to pay a non-immigrant visa issuance fee or reciprocity fee after their application is approved.
Following the almost two years of failed negotiations with the Federal Government, through the Foreign Affairs and Interior ministries, the U.S. Department of State took the decision in accordance with Section 281 of its Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
The section provides that the “Department of State establish visa fee corresponding to the total of all visa, entry, residence, or other similar fee, taxes, or charges assessed or levied against nationals of the United States.”
The new fee regime “applies to all Nigerian citizens, regardless of wherein the world they are applying for a non-immigrant visa to the United States.”
Cautious in their response to questions by spokespersons in the Foreign and Internal Affairs ministries neither validated nor denied the matter.
The Director of Press at the Ministry of interior Mohammed Manga would not confirm if he was aware of the months of negotiation by the U.S. but directed inquiries to Mr. Sunday James.
The deputy comptroller initially answered the telephone call with interest but deflected when sought to make an inquiry.
At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, efforts to get Mr. Kimiebi Ebienfa of the NIS media department were unsuccessful as his phone rang out. But later in the night he said through a text message that there was no statement from the ministry for now.
