The United States government has announced that most Nigerians applying for non-immigrant visas will now only get single-entry three-month visas.
The US Mission in Nigeria said this was to reciprocate Nigeria’s visa policy for Americans.
“Effective today, most non-immigrant and non-official visas for Nigerian citizens will be single-entry with 3-month validity.” the embassy stated in a press statement on Tuesday. Prior to this, it was up to five years.
It gave the criteria that must be met to see changes to include: secure travel documents with verified traveler identities, implementing measures to limit overstays by travelers on US visas, and sharing relevant security and/or criminal record information to protect public safety.
“We commend the ongoing efforts by the government of Nigeria’s immigration and security agencies to meet standards of international best practices,” it said, adding that, “We continue to engage with Nigerian government officials to address the remaining challenges.”
The US encouraged Nigerian travelers to respect and adhere to the terms of their visas, and ensure travel documents are authentic, accurate, and up to date.
“The United States remains a committed partner in deepening people-to-people ties with Nigeria via business, educational, and cultural exchanges. We look forward to continued cooperation at all levels with the Nigerian public and government officials to ensure safe and lawful travel between the United States and all countries,” it added.
This comes after it was earlier reported that Nigeria alongside some other countries could face restrictions under President Donald Trump’s policy to cut down on immigration.