Photo caption: US and Nigeria flag
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that the United States has yet to reverse its recently imposed visa restrictions on certain Nigerian citizens, despite diplomatic appeals from the Federal Government.
Spokesperson for the ministry, Kimiebi Ebienfa, told The PUNCH on Wednesday that “engagements are ongoing but the policy is yet to be reversed so far.”
The development means the visa restrictions may remain in place, as the United States had not provided a formal response to Nigeria’s request for a review.
The US government revised its visa reciprocity schedule for Nigeria, limiting the validity of certain non-immigrant visas, including B1/B2 (business and tourism), F (student), and J (exchange visitor) categories, to just three months with single-entry access.
The Federal Government, in a statement issued last month, expressed concern over what it described as a disproportionate response by Washington.
It described the move as inconsistent with the principles of equity and reciprocity expected between friendly nations.
The government also warned that the changes could adversely affect legitimate travellers, including students, professionals, and families.
The statement called for a reconsideration of the sanctions, urging the US to act in the spirit of mutual respect and long-standing bilateral relations between the two countries.
While acknowledging the US’s sovereign right to set its immigration policies, the Federal Government maintained that the decision could strain cultural and educational exchanges that had historically been a pillar of US-Nigeria relations.
