BREAKING: FG reduces visa fees for Americans

The Federal Government on Wednesday approved a reduction in visa charges payable by United States citizens from $180 to $150 with effect from Thursday.

Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola announced that the Comptroller-General of Nigeria Immigration Service, Muhammad Babandede, had been directed to implement the decrease in the visa charges.

Acccording to a statement by the ministry’s spokesman, Mohammed Manga, a committee set up to conduct due diligence in line with the ministry’s extant policy on reciprocity of visa fees had earlier engaged with the US embassy on the issue, adding that the implementation of its recommendations was delayed due to “transition processes in the ministry at the policy level.”

The statement read: “The committee had concluded its assignment and submitted a report, but the issuance of authorisation for its recommendations was delayed due to transition processes in the ministry at the policy level.

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“The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has approved the decrease of visa charges payable by US citizens in line with reciprocity policy as recommended by the committee.

“Accordingly, the Comptroller-General of Nigeria Immigration Service, Muhammad Babandede, has been directed to implement the decrease in Nigeria’s visa charges to US Citizens with effect from August 29, 2019.”

Recall that the US Government on Tuesday increased visa fees payable by Nigerians.

The US Mission in Abuja stated that Nigerians applying for US visas will be required to pay a visa issuance fee, or reciprocity fee, with effect from August 29.