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Tag: Visa fees

  • US removes reciprocity visa fees for Nigerians

    US removes reciprocity visa fees for Nigerians

    The federal government announced on Saturday that the United States has removed all visa reciprocity fees for Nigerians seeking visas to the country with effect from December 3.

    Disclosing this at the weekend, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the development was sequel to the removal of excess visa application, processing and biometric fees for American citizens applying for Nigerian visas.

    It would be recalled that the Donald Trump administration had in 2019 imposed the reciprocity fee for all approved non-immigrant visa applications by Nigerians.


    The fee was charged in addition to visa application fees for only applicants who are issued visas.

    The additional reciprocity fees which ranged from $80 to $303 depending on the class of visa, took effect from August 29 last year. The US Embassy in Nigeria said the reciprocity fees were in response to unsuccessful talks with Nigeria to adjust the fees it charges American applicants. It argued that the total cost for a US citizen to obtain a visa to Nigeria was higher than the total cost for a Nigerian to obtain a comparable visa to the United States.

    The Mission insisted that the reciprocity fee was meant to eliminate the cost difference as required by US laws. Announcing the removal of the reciprocity fee in a statement, the MFA spokesman, Ferdinand Nwonye, said, “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to inform that the United States Government has removed all visa reciprocity fees for Nigerian citizens seeking visas to the United States. “The positive development is in line with the removal of excess visa application, processing and biometric fees for United States citizens applying for Nigerian visas by the Nigerian Government.

    “The United States Government has, therefore, eliminated reciprocity fees for Nigerian citizens with effect from December 3, 2020.” The statement titled, ‘Update on removal of visa fees for Nigerian citizens by the US Government,’ advised prospective travellers to the US to visit www.travel.state.gov for details.”

  • FG slashes visa fees for U.S. citizens

    FG slashes visa fees for U.S. citizens

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

    The old amount comprised $160 as visa fee and $20 as “processing and expedient fees”.

    According to the Comptroller-General of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Mr Muhammad Babandede, the reduction followed a review of the U.S.’ visa reciprocity policy for Nigeria.

    Babandede stated this in a Feb. 5 memo marked NIS/HQ/CGI/806/7 and addressed to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

    In August, 2019, the U.S. government imposed additional visa fees on Nigerians in retaliation for the “treatment afforded to U.S. citizens” by the Nigerian government.

    The policy required successful applicants for nonimmigrant U.S. 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 U.S. Embassy said in a statement on its website then.

    In his letter, the NIS urged all Nigerian missions in the U.S. 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 travelers on request in line with reciprocity,” he said.

    A senior official of the Nigerian Consulate in New York, told NAN that the “processing and expedient fees” of $20 was for online application and payment services rendered by a private firm.

    Babandede’s letter came a day after President Muhammadu Buhari launched the Nigeria Visa Policy 2020 which, among others, increased the country’s visa classes from six to 79.(NAN)