The Federal Government of Nigeria has finally bowed to pressure by reducing its visa fees for Americans travelling/to Nigeria.
This was announced earlier today after the United States announced increases in its visa fees for Nigerians as a way of retaliating Nigeria’s high fees.
The U.S. State Department said the visa fees were increased after 18 months of consultation with the Nigerian government, to make its visa fees for Americans proportional, failed.
The department also said it was compelled by existing laws to increase fees for Nigerians after issuing them visas.
Nigerians whose American visa have been approved are now to pay extra fees ranging from $80 to $110 (28,800 to N39,600), depending on the type of visa being applied for, the State Department said on Tuesday.
The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, said that a downward review of the visa fees charged to Americans by Nigeria had been approved months ago, but could not be implemented due to the transition process. President Muhammadu Buhari was announced the winner of 2019 elections in February, and was inaugurated in late may for a second time. He, however, did not set up his cabinet until last week.
Consequently, Mr Aregbesola said visa fees had been/ reduced accordingly for prospective Americans travelling to Nigeria, a move he said would take immediate effect.
