US removes visa fees for Nigerian citizens

United States government has removed all visa reciprocity fees for Nigerian citizens seeking visa to the United States.

Spokesperson of the Ministry of foreign affairs, Ferdinand Nwonye, said in a statement that the eliminated reciprocity fees for Nigerian citizens is with effect from December 3, 2020.

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He said the positive development is in line with the removal of excess visa application, processing and biometric fees for United States citizens applying for Nigerian visas by the Nigerian Government.

“Prospective Nigerian travellers to the United States are hereby advised to visit: www.travel.state.gov for details,” the statement read.

It would be recalled that the Nigerian government reduced its visa fees for Americans travelling to Nigeria a day after the United States announced increases in its visa fees for Nigerians as a way of retaliating Nigeria’s high fees.

According to the U.S. State Department, the visa fees were increased after 18 months of consultation with the Nigerian government, to make its visa fees for Americans proportional failed.

Nigerians whose American visas have been approved had paid extra fees ranging from $80 to $110 (N28,800 to N39,600), depending on the type of visa being applied for, the State Department said.

Nigeria has now reduced the visa fees for Americans traveling to Nigeria from $180 to $150.