United States To Ban 2-year Multiple Entry Visa For Nigerians
the United States multiple entry Visa is the most applied visa in Nigeria. The Nigerian government will need to react fast to prevent the impending 2 years visa validity ban on Nigerians by the United States of America following the Executive Order signed on Friday, 27th January 2017 by President Donald Trump, according to the TheCable report.
The United States ban visitors from Muslim populated countries tagged as countries “of concern”. Nigerians with dual citizenship to those countries will be affected. The list of the countries are Syria, Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen.
On the 29th January, citizens of these countries were seen crowded at the airport as the immigration control refuse to grant entry to the United States.
Luckily, Nigeria is not on the list but the United States government are considering a reduction in the validity period of the visa been granted to Nigerians. The reason for this is that Nigeria embassy only grant US citizens 1 year multiple entry visa and the law of reciprocity demand that United States reciprocate with the same effect.
Section 9 of the Executive Order states: “The Secretary of State shall review all non-immigrant 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…”
This also implies that the general visitor for pleasure and business visa fee presently fixed by the US at $160 will likely be increased to counter the Nigerian embassy in the US that charge $180 and $35 “processing fee” totaling $215.