U.S. Extends Visa Validity to 5 Years For Nigerians For Business And Tourism as America Lists Conditions
- The U.S. government has extended tourism visas for Nigerians from two years to five years
- The statement from the U.S. Consular General said the extension is for Nigerians going for business or tourism
- Applicants must meet certain criteria, such crime-free record and must not have overstayed during previous visits
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The U.S. government is set to increase visitor visa validity for Nigerians from 2 years to five years.
The visa extension is for Nigerians who want to enter the U.S. temporarily for business and tourism, according to a statement by the U.S. Consular General on Monday, February 27, 2023.
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Nigeria reciprocates with five-year visa validity
The statement said the new policy is set to start on Wednesday, March 1, 2023
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It was earlier reported that the Nigerian government directed implementing a new visa reciprocity policy for U.S. citizens with effect from March 1, 2023, due to approval for starting a new Bilateral Consular Policy Agreement between the U.S. and Nigeria.
Rauf Aregbesola, Nigeria's Interior Minister, said that the Policy agreement between the two countries also includes the interchange of five-year tourist visa validity for American citizens in line with section 30 of the Immigration Act, 2015, an extension of visa validity to three years for diplomats and government officials between the citizens of both countries.
The U.S. Consulate's statement on Monday, February 27, 2023, assured that the visa fee remains unchanged.
The statement reads:
"Effective March 1, 2023, the U.S. Mission will increase visitor visa validity from 24 months to 60 months for Nigerians who want to enter the United States temporarily for business and/or tourism.
"The visa validity extension allows Nigerians to use the visa for 60 months to make short trips to the United States for tourism or business purposes before renewing their visa. The visa application fee, currently USD160, will not increase as a result of the increased visa validity.
The consulate also noted that increasing visa validity was one of several initiatives the U.S. took to reduce visa appointment wait times in Nigeria.
They also said they would continue to offer No-Interview Visa Renewals to those who meet the eligibility criteria adding that appointments for No-Interview Visa Renewals are readily available.
However, the embassy reiterated that Nigerians "may be eligible for a visa renewal without an interview if your application is for a B1/B2, F, M, J (academic only), H, L, or C1/D (combined only) visa.
"Additionally, the person must be physically present in Nigeria, the previous visa was issued in Nigeria, the previous visa is in the same classification as the current application, and the previous visa was a full-validity, multiple-entry visa."
The embassy also listed the criteria for applying for visa renewal, stating that the previous visa expired within the last 48 months or will expire in the next three months from the date of application.
US lists strict criteria for visa renewal
Applicants must hall all the passports covering the entire period since receiving the previous visa and the passport with the most recent visa.
Also, applicants must not have been arrested or convicted of a crime in the United States, even if they later received a waiver or pardon.
The applicant must only have worked with authorisation or remained beyond their permitted time in the U.S.
The embassy told applicants that processing times for the programme are expected to be up to two months, and applicants will not retrieve their passports during that time.
The statement said minors could apply without an interview only if they met the eligibility criteria independently.
What Nigerians need to know about securing U.S. visitor visa and application fee
Legit.ng earlier reported that foreigners from all countries, including Nigeria, who wish to apply for short-term visas to the U.S. for various purposes might need sufficient information about getting a permit.
The U.S. is a visitor destination due to its diversity and good holiday spots.
Also, most multinational companies are headquartered in the U.S., leading people to schedule business trips there.
Source: Legit.ng
