FG reduces Visa Fee for U.S. citizens – TheNigerialawyer

The Federal Government has approved a reduction in visa charges
payable by United States citizens from $180 to $160.

The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, explained on
Wednesday, that the Comptroller-General of Nigeria Immigration
Service, Muhammad Babandede, had been directed 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 will 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 will
be charged in addition to the nonimmigrant visa application fee,
also known as the Machine Readable Visa fee, which all applicants
pay at the time of application.

By the new policy, applicants are required to 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 will pay
$303 and R1 and R2 $80.

It explained that the reciprocity fee was applicable to all
approved applications for nonimmigrant visas in B, F, H1B, I, L,
and R visa classifications, noting that Nigerian citizens whose
applications for a nonimmigrant 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, 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.”