Trump Immigration Ban: Nigerians To Pay N10bn For US Visa In 2017

There are indications that Nigerians seeking different types of non-immigrant visas for the purposes of business, visiting, schooling and health in 2017 in the United States of America (USA) would spend about N10.7 billion for the same purpose.

The estimate, according to data obtained by LEADERSHIP yesterday revealed that if at least 220, 000 Nigerians apply for the visa type, the applicants seeking non-immigrant visas to the US may also record a loss of N5 billion this year.

This development is as a result of an Executive Order issued by President Donald Trump on immigration banning seven Muslims-majority countries from entering the United States of America and seeking to deal with others based on diplomatic reciprocity.

According to available data, out of more than 220,000 non-immigrant visa applications adjudicated at the U.S Embassy in Abuja and the Consulate in Lagos in 2014, only 129, 392 visas were granted, resulting in a loss of N 2, 174, 592,000 to the 90,608 applicants whose visas were denied, going by the exchange rate of N150 to a dollar that time.

While the figures of applications received in 2015 and 2016 are not available, the U.S Homeland Affairs revealed that 143, 430 non immigrant visas were granted in Nigeria in the 2015 fiscal year, this is as the number of applications for visas keeps increasing year on year, relative to the refusal and success rates.

The figures further show that from 2011 through 2013, 54,019; 73,889 and 103,835 non immigrant visas were issued in Nigeria for the respective years.

The development also points to the fact that the total loss in application fees of $160 per applicant to unsuccessful non immigrant visa seeking Nigerians in 2017 could more than double the figure for the preceding years, going by the current exchange rate of N304.25 to a dollar and the refusal rate that may be higher because of the Executive Order.

A source at the U.S Consulate in Lagos declined to comment on the enforcement of the Order in Nigeria and its impact on visa applicants in Nigeria. When asked further if a more senior official of the Consulate could talk on the matter, the source simply reminded our correspondent of the former Acting Attorney General, Sally Yates, fired for defying the Order.

There have been speculations that if the U.S Embassy in Nigeria applies the principle of reciprocity stipulated in the Executive Order, the validity period of visas issued to Nigerians could be reduced from two years and the application fee reviewed upward.

It is noteworthy that whereas the U.S. issues two-year multiple entries non immigrant visas to Nigerians at $160, Nigeria grants, for the most parts, non immigrant visas with a shorter validity to Americans and at an higher cost of $180 with a processing fee of $35.

Section 9 of the Order has said in part: “The Secretary of State shall review all non immigrant visa reciprocity agreements to ensure that they are, with respect to each visa classification, truly reciprocal insofar as practicable with respect to validity period and fees.”

It states further, “If a country does not treat United States nationals seeking non immigrant visas in a reciprocal manner, the Secretary of State shall adjust the visa validity period, fee schedule, or other treatment to match the treatment of United States nationals by the foreign country to the extent possible.”

Meanwhile, the U.S Senate has just confirmed the former ExxonMobil CEO, Rex Tillerson, as the new Secretary of State on February 1.

Tillerson, neither a diplomat, soldier nor politician, has also promised to “represent the interests of all the American people at all times,” in harmony with President Trump’s Make America Great Again (MAGA) mantra.

A recent visit to the Walter Carrington Crescent where the U.S. Consulate is located in Lagos revealed that visa applicants still continue to flock to the place to procure their travel document for various purposes, commencing from 6 am.

The U.S Embassy had scheduled visa interviews appointments for some applicants on some Saturdays and certain Nigerian public holidays in recent time.

Meanwhile, the United States Embassy has recently clarified that it will neither stop issuing the two years tourist visas, nor revoke visas that have legally been given and are valid for two years.

In a press briefing yesterday at the United States Embassy, the Chief Counselor, Meghan Moore told members of the press that the rumours were false. She says, “Its important for you to know that first of all, if you hold a valid visa, there’s no changes to it. If you have a valid tourist or journalist visa there’s not going to be any changes to the expiration date.

She further expressed that the idea of how the US government will decide on how long visas are issued for is based on reciprocity.

“So the idea is based on the Nigerian government’s treatment of US travelers to Nigeria. The US government generally issues, multiple entry, non immigrant visas with the validity of two years to eligible individuals who are traveling on a Nigerian passport. So that rumour that’s been circulating in the press that there are plans to change that to one year are not true. But based on Nigerian treatment of US citizens traveling to Nigeria, we issue as a general rule two years multiple entry visas to those who hold Nigerian passports. There can be some exceptions based on specific individuals needs or certain kinds of cases, for example related to people who are on work visas may have different validities. But generally speaking we issue two year multiple validity non immigrant visas.”

During the press briefing, the US Ambassador to Nigeria Stuart Symington who was present, stressed on the strong and important connection between Nigeria and the United States, stressing that it will continue to grow stronger. He also explained that both countries share similar spirits that embodies notions of security, opportunity of freedom of religion of freedom of speech as core values.

As several Nigerians have shown concern on the newly elected President Donald Trump’s executive orders, Symington assuaged that the executive order and policy is a very simple idea. “It is that our government led by our new president, seeks to be sure that we have in place what he understands, and has good reason to believe and can go forward and reassure all Americans as an effective way to make sure that we have all of the systems in place. So for people who we want to have come to the United states to study to visit to live and work and to be part of the fabric of American life can come. And those people who might represent a threat will be identified and won’t come.”

“The idea of this order is pause, check that in every nation at every time, one of the first jobs is to make sure that your laws will be respected and you’ve got good systems in place. That’s the core message,” he said.

He further noted that an important message for every Nigerian is that the way Nigeria has treated citizens of the US and the way that the US has treated Nigerians in the past, is reflected in the kind of visas the US extends and the kind of visas it receives. Highlighting the importance of reciprocity.

With the new executive orders being implemented, the Ambassador explained that “For those of you who already hold a visa to go to the United States, I would just share one thought. In the past when your visas have expired you’ve been able to wait as long as 48 months before you sought to renew your visa without another interview. Now that term is only 12 months.

So if you have a visa for the United States and you haven’t used it for a while and its expired please seek to renew it if you need to go to the United States in that 12 month period.”

In line with the implementation of the new order, the Ambassador further disclosed that,“The speaker of the United States House of Representatives is a very important leader in our country.

“He was asked about this order last night, and he said, what I just said. Its important for you all to know that as we go forward, we will seek to do three things in my country. First, we recognise that we are a nation of immigrants. And we are a nation, as one of you mentioned a second ago, constantly seeking to make of many, one. To bring together, people of all religions of all faiths, of all creeds of all languages, all around the world that has been the case for our country, and that will always be the case for our country.

“The second thought is, now as you all know, one of you mentioned how safe and welcoming Nigeria is. And that’s true. But there is danger in every place in the world. There is danger in places here in your country. And one of the great challenges we face is how wisely, with complete respect for the law, we face those dangers together. And part of that is identifying people who might pose a threat and evaluating them in a way that’s consistent with the law, and making decisions and so we will do that,” he said.

He further assured Nigerians that in the case of Nigerians traveling to the US, there will never be any kind of inappropriate unconstitutional litmus test for that question. It will be answered on what he called a ‘case by case basis.’

And once again as the US has its procedures in place, “We seek a just and predictable result in every single action that we take,”he said.

On her part, the Chief Counsellor of the US Embassy confirmed, “One of our main goals here at the embassy, is to facilitate legitimate travel to the US, while also maintaining security for US borders. And for the American people. She saod, as she further disclosed on the new changes and its impact on Nigerians at home.

“The one thing I want to highlight similar to what our Ambassador had said is how important it is the trade connections, the study connections the family connections between Nigeria and the United States. As some of you may know we the United States government issued about 11 million non immigrant visas in fiscal year 2015 that’s the latest year for which we have data. Including about 156,000 non immigrant visas to Nigerian nationals.

“Our goal is to ensure that Nigerians will be able to travel to the United States, so that they continue to participate as the Ambassador said, ‘in the fabric of our life.’”

Asked how changes to visa policies will affect Nigerians here, the Counselor Moore remarked, “I think its important to distinguish between two groups. So for example I can say that for people who hold Nigerian passports, official, diplomatic or regular, the main thing that has changed is that if you hold a tourist visa or student visa, as long as you went to DHL for the interview waiver programme or the renewal programme and dropped your passport or receipts, if your visa had expired in 48 months then you can participate in our waiver programme.

The results of this order is not just for Nigeria but across the world. That time has been shortened to 12 months. What that means is if you would like to renew for example your tourist visa just look at the expiration date, and make sure that if you want to use our renewal programme to DHL, that its expired within 12 months if its expired 12 months ago that’s ok. You are certainly welcomed to renew your visa again. But these new rules will require you to apply for the visa, and then shedule an appointment to come in,” she said.

Source: Leadership