Nigerian missions across the United States have continued issuance of five-year multiple entry visa to Americans.
This is contrary to claims of reciprocity by the U.S.
Checks at the Embassy of Nigeria in Washington D.C and consulates in New York and Atlanta showed Nigerian missions had at no time stopped issuing five-year multiple entry visa to Americans,
Interactions with some American business executives and tourists who came to pick up their passports at the Nigerian visa centre showed they were issued five-year multiple entry visas.
Interactions with visa applicants who also came to keep interview appointments, showed that Nigerian missions in the United States do not issue three-month single entry visas to Americans.
NAN further reports that the three-month visa is rather a form of “visa on arrival” that allows last-minute travellers without prior visas to urgently travel to Nigeria as is the practice in many countries.
NAN”s findings contradicted recent announcements by U.S. authorities regarding its visa policy adjustments against Nigeria, sparking speculations and public anxiety over a perceived diplomatic spat between the two countries.
Senior Nigerian diplomats across the United States firmly reaffirmed that Nigeria remains fully committed to its historic visa protocols and robust bilateral ties with the U.S.
Speaking to NAN, Amb. Samson Itegboje, Nigeria’s Acting Ambassador to the United States, debunked the claim that Nigeria had reduced visa issuance to single-entry three months for Americans.
“There is nothing farther from the truth than the claim that we now issue only three-month single-entry visas to Americans,” Itegboje stated.
“As of Friday, July 11, the Embassy of Nigeria in Washington D.C. was still issuing two, three, and five-year multiple entry visas to Americans,” he said.
Itegboje said Nigeria had directed the full implementation of a new Nigeria-U.S. Bilateral Consular Policy Agreements, with visa reciprocity policy for United States citizens with effect from March 1, 2023.