Implementation of the reduced visa application fee for citizens of the United States, which was put in place by the Federal Government, in hope to have the US government reduce its increased visa application fees for Nigerian citizens, has commenced.
The United States government had increased the cost of visa application for Nigerians in retaliation to the federal government, who charged US applicant $110 higher than what US charged Nigerian applicants.
According to the report by TheCable on Friday, while the United States charged Nigerians $160, Nigerian government charged US applicants $270, an amount which the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, reduced to $160 about 24hrs after US announced in increment.
Nevertheless, the United States government refused to bring down its increased visa fee, stating that the Nigerian government have not communicated an official statement regarding the reduction.
The comptroller-General of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), in a memo, marked NIS/HQ/CGI/806/7 and dated February 5, issued a directive which stated that all Nigerian missions in US should immediately implement the new reduced visa charges payable by US citizens.
The memo which was addressed to the permanent secretary in the ministry of foreign affairs based on a review of the US visa reciprocity policy for Nigeria, also directed that the missions should “discontinue charging processing and expedient fees”
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The comptroller-general said;
“Our Missions are to issue up to two years multiple entry visa to frequent short visit travellers on request in line with reciprocity.”
The visa fee reduction was an issue of the expedient fees. If this can help in encouraging more visitors to the country then that will be very advantageous for the tourism of the country.