US to stop issuing 2-year visa to Nigerians

dimeji akinloye

January 30, 2017 9:35 AM

If the Federal Government does not take a proactive visa policy review, Nigerians will no longer be issued with US visas with two-year validity.

U.S. President Donald Trump (C) signs an Executive Order establishing extreme vetting of people coming to the United States after attending a swearing-in ceremony for Defense Secretary James Mattis.

Following the Executive Order by the President

If the Federal Government does not take a proactive visa policy review, Nigerians will no longer be issued with US visas which have two-year validity.

Also, Nigerians who hold dual nationality will be affected if their other passport is from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen — the seven Muslim-majority countries “of concern”.

According to an analysis of the Executive Order done by TheCable, at least two sections will affect Nigerians directly.

Nigeria issues one-year multiple-entry visa to Americans, which is a non-reciprocation of the two-year visa the US issues to Nigerians.

Although Nigeria also issues two-year visas to Americans, the continued issuance of one-year visas falls short of the US policy of issuing a minimum of two-year visas to Nigerians. This little detail may now be reciprocated by the Trump administration.

Section 9 of the Executive Order states: "The Secretary of State shall review all nonimmigrant visa reciprocity agreements to ensure that they are, with respect to each visa classification, truly reciprocal insofar as practicable with respect to validity period and fees, as required by sections 221(c) and 281 of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 1201(c) and 1351, and other treatment. If a country does not treat United States nationals seeking nonimmigrant visas in a reciprocal manner, the Secretary of State shall adjust the visa validity period, fee schedule, or other treatment to match the treatment of United States nationals by the foreign country, to the extent practicable…"

By this provision, except the federal government quickly moves to extend the validity of Nigerian visa to Americans, Nigerians too will be issued with one-year visas.

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Given that the Trump order takes immediate effect, Nigerians holding valid two-year US visa are most likely going to be affected, the report says.

Nigeria is also not reciprocating the fees charged by the American government — despite shorter visa validity.

While the US charges Nigerians $160 for a typical visit visa, Nigeria charges $180, in addition to a $35 "processing fee".

The section on dual nationality involving seven Muslim-majority countries is not expected to affect a significant number of Nigerians because a second citizenship of Syria, Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen is not common.

Many Nigerians, including government officials, hold dual nationality with either the US or Europe.

But Nigerians who have recently visited Syria, Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen may be subjected to extra immigration control with possible deportation.

dimeji akinloye