The United States Government has removed all visa reciprocity fees for Nigerians applying for United States visas with effect from December 3, 2020.
The Spokesperson, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ferdinand Nwonye, made this known in a statement issued in Abuja.
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.”
Recall that Donald Trump administration had in 2019 imposed the reciprocity fee for all approved non-immigrant visa applications by Nigerians
The United States Diplomatic Mission to Nigeria, had said effective worldwide on 29 August, Nigerian citizens will be required to pay a visa issuance fee, or reciprocity fee, for all approved applications for non-immigrant visas in B, F, H1B, I, L, and R visa classifications.
“U.S. law requires U.S. visa fees and validity periods to be based on the treatment afforded to U.S. citizens by foreign governments, insofar as possible. Visa issuance fees are implemented under the principle of reciprocity: when a foreign government imposes additional visa fees on U.S. citizens, the United States will impose reciprocal fees on citizens of that country for similar types of visas. Nationals of a number of countries worldwide are currently required to pay this type of fee after their nonimmigrant visa application is approved,” the United States said in 2019.
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Nwonye further said the positive development was 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.
“Prospective Nigerian travellers to the United States are hereby advised to visit: www. travel state.gov for details,” the government further said.
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