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US govt says it retaliated against Nigeria by increasing visa fees
Effective from Thursday, Nigerians applying for American visas will have to pay increased issuance fee, or reciprocity fee, for all approved applications for non immigrant visas.
The US Consulate explained that the increased cost was a reciprocation of the extra visa fee the Nigerian government charges American citizens.
In a statement on Tuesday, the US Consulate explained that the extra cost will be applicable to only those whose visa requests were granted.
It said that the US law required that visa fees and validity periods are to be based on the treatment afforded to US citizens by foreign governments.
The statement reads: “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.
“The reciprocity fee will be charged in addition to the non-immigrant visa application fee, also known as the MRV fee, which all applicants pay at the time of application. Nigerian citizens whose applications for a non-immigrant visa are denied will not be charged the new reciprocity fee.
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“Both reciprocity and MRV fees are non-refundable, and their amounts vary based on visa classification.
“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 total cost for a U.S. citizen to obtain a visa to Nigeria is currently higher than the total cost for a Nigerian to obtain a comparable visa to the United States. The new reciprocity fee for Nigerian citizens is meant to eliminate that cost difference.”
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