Nigeria govt may impose visa restriction on US citizens in retaliatory move

The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Mohammed Babandede, said on Tuesday the Federal Government may reciprocate the visa restriction imposed on its citizens by the United States and other countries.

Babandede disclosed this while speaking to journalists on the new visa policy launched by President Muhammadu Buhari earlier this year.

The US government had in January suspended the issuance of visas to Nigerians and nationals of a few other countries.

Also affected by the policy aimed at preventing permanent residency in the US are nationals of Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, and Myanmar.

Washington also introduced reciprocity fees for Nigerians applying for visas to the US.

READ ALSO: Buhari officially presents Nigeria’s visa policy

The NIS chief said: “I can tell you that the US is a country, it is a nation like Nigeria. They have the right to restrict who will enter their territory or not just like we can restrict US citizens or whomsoever from entering Nigeria.

“So they have the right. But I want people to know that visa restriction is not a visa ban, it is a ban for people who want to take residency not people who want to go for short visits.

“You are aware that President Muhammadu Buhari just launched a new visa policy for Nigeria, the visa policy has 79 classes of visa. So, we will be in a position to say to countries, if you allow us for short visits we will allow you for short visits and if you stop us from other visits, we do the same, because the new visa policy is based on reciprocity.

“So, we will test this for a year and see those who reciprocate and we take actions for those who do otherwise.”

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