The US had in January 2020 said it would suspend the issuance of visas that can lead to permanent residency for nationals of Nigeria, Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, and Myanmar. However, they could apply for other visa categories.
The US had also introduced reciprocity fees for Nigerians thereby nearly doubling the cost of obtaining a visa based on the premise that Americans seeking Nigerian visa were paying too much to secure it.
But speaking with Signature50 Magazine, the immigration boss said the new Nigerian visa policy is reciprocal in nature.
He argued that like the US, Nigeria has the right to dictate who it allows in or restricts from entering the country.
“I can tell you that US is a country – it is a nation like Nigeria. They have the right to restrict who will enter their territory or not just like we can restrict US citizen or whomsoever from entering Nigeria,” Babandede said.
“So they have the right, but I want people to know that visa restriction is not a visa ban, it is a ban for people who want to take residency not people who want to go for short visits.
You are aware that President Muhammadu Buhari just launched a new visa policy for Nigeria, the visa policy has 79 classes of visa. So, we will be in a position to say to countries, if you allow us for short visits we will allow you for short visits and if you stop us from other visits, we do the same, because the new visa policy is based on reciprocity.
“So, we will test this for a year and see those who reciprocate and we take actions for those who do otherwise.”
Thisday
Okay,noted
ReplyDeleteHe wishes! Nigeria need US than US does. We are the one kissing up to US. A lot of people including those rich and successful one in our country will do everything to get that US VISA. Unfortunately we have too many complex people in our country irrespective of their status that get ridiculed at the US Embassy by denying them Visa to US.
DeleteYou have failed exam
DeleteOh shut it! Do you know how many Americans work in Nigerian Oil and Gas? It's free money with the high security pay, accomodation, driver etc. they get because Nigeria is classified as a high risk country. They flock to 9ja but will never promote it to dissuade others from coming to find out what they are enjoying. Some literally cry when Immigration denys their work visa renewal (they are only allowed for a few years) and they have to go work in another country. To you people, Nigeria is useless but to the oyibo, it's where you can go work and pay off your mortgage in Yankee within 2 years. Where else will they be treated like kings with the domestic staff calling you sir and madam and bowing up and down. One called his wife and told her he is like a king. It's not their fault that Nigerians treat oyibo like gold.
DeleteA lot of people are ignorant. Do you know how many foreigners including Americans work in Nigeria? Just visit the international arrival of lagos and abuja airport and you will be surprised how they are trooping in even with the restrictions. If we reciprocate the visa ban many will lose their jobs
DeleteAnno13*30
DeleteYour write up is what Kanye called Slave Mentality
Low self esteem they worry you shaaaa
Jokers 🦋
Delete🙄 seriously? Who wants to come to this shithole?
ReplyDeleteA lot of foreigners want to come, they come all the time and they are still coming.
DeleteNigeria is a good business hub.
@sandra siddon there. Their multinational companies nko? Nigerian Government go use the opportunity to charge Dem Wella come chop their money join. If Dem come mistakenly jam corrupt officials sef, the officials fit come dey use am blackmail Dem sef. See it won't be funny on their side too o. But I wish for peace all the same. I hate bi-lateral fights abeg. Let there be peace in the world abeg
DeleteA lot good business hub but being overshadowed and badly governed by corrupt and bad selfish leaders
DeleteYou have failed exam too. Your comment has shown your economic status.
DeleteMs A, you understand the drills.
DeleteAnon 13:33, do you know the foreigners are cashing out big time and most of them are as corrupt as our clueless leaders.
A lot of foreigners want to come and invest here.
DeleteNigeria is among the list of largest market's in the world
Super story....
Delete@sandra who want to come to this shithole you said?? Please go educate your self, we are not that bad okay.
DeleteStory story 😁😁😁😁😁😂😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣
ReplyDeleteThey now divert loots to Dubai
ReplyDeleteThey are angry that US has punctured their loot-holes.
😎😎😎😎😎😎
Preach
DeleteJokers
ReplyDeleteVery funny.
ReplyDelete😁😁😁
ReplyDeleteStella, let me laugh with you. 😂😂😂😂. Mbok, US is NOT like Nigeria. You want to put a ban on other countries, when we as citizens are looking for how to leave the country for you people. Una try o.
ReplyDeletePeople sell their lifetime savings and achievements to acquire ordinary US Visa. Such a shame that Nigeria not only the country with milk and honey but the greatest one in Africa has been reduced to this nonsense by not only by US but also by some others that should be begging Nigeria Citizens to come to their country
DeleteSee talk
ReplyDeleteStella, why the laughing emoji?
ReplyDeleteIf Nigeria government were not all that corrupt and sold out, no other Western countries will be messing up with Nigeria and blacklisting the country and her people.
They wouldn't try this nonsense if someone like Gen. Sani Abacha was still in power.
Nigeria government should be reciprocating... We need them a lot, but, they also need us.
I totally agree with you. Bullshitting and blacklisting Nigeria every where just because we have no one to advocate for us.
DeleteAre we the worst? Heck no!!.
I support the lateral ban too.
👌👍
DeleteGbam
DeleteThank you.
DeleteThank God you said 'IF' cos that IF is not our current reality. This will definitely hurt us more cos it's only investors that come in from US. We have no power abeg, not even a tiny unit of nuclear bomb that almost all countries have in hiding just incase world war breaks out, we no get. We don't even make our own matches.
DeleteNo matter what I still like this decision.am proudly Nigeria.
ReplyDeleteReminds me of when SA was misbehaving many years ago, Nigeria sharply reciprocated the favour and reset them.
DeleteMy fear is that they shouldn't drive away investors. US has many Allies and can easily use them against us cos funny as it sounds, they are very interested in Africa because they need our materials and we need their investments too (of which they wouldn't mind too as it would be cheaper for them to invest here sef). Buhari go soon finish leave us o. Nigerians would now be left to continue with the battle while him and Zara would travel out to God knows where lol. We need investors now of all time. Even China that is fighting US is doing so WISELY cos Dem still know say US pass Dem o belente Nigeria? ahhhhhh! Just like someone said above they could be angry over some "punctured loots" and this is their own way of getting back at the US but sorry o IT'S A NO FOR ME
ReplyDeleteYou are so ignorant o.
DeleteNa them sabi
ReplyDeleteWe joke in this country....
ReplyDeleteWhy not let us address the issue behind the ban and retrace our steps. US is Only pushing and challenging us to build and develop our country better enough to accomodate our citizens.....see what bokoharam has bn perpentrating in the north for over six years and yet to lead to conquer them....the blood shed daily is too much. Our cotton...our timber....our agricultural exports dominance haa run to nothing.....thereby making our currency has no value.... All des coupled together is enough for a well Reasonable Nigerian to understand this bold step US is giving. If not.....these our nigerian leaders will not wake up to the truth
Lol...yeah right. How come is never Arab countries. I thought UAE banned Nigerians and revoked visas ...why is it always Europe and US?
ReplyDeleteThere is a bigger plan...forget all that. Eventually, all this politicians who make weird policies end up at the losing end when they step down.
Amethyst no! They don't want Nigerians there but they want to come here
DeleteAbeg oo I want to see my baby I've missed him so so much it hurts
ReplyDeleteDid I just read about “if Sani Abacha was there it won’t happen”? I hope it was a satire as Abacha moved CBN into his bedroom and decades after he died we are still collecting from some of his loot!
ReplyDelete“Lots” Of foreigners are in Nigeria but not Americans. We use superlatives carelessly. We were on the biometric path 25 years ago, what happened, nothing! It’s not easy to trace criminals with no dna database, identifiers etc.Development cannot take place without accurate census and unique identifiers like dna database. If someone murders and police parade a burglar as the murderer how will you get the poor fall guy out? Instead they use a third of the police capacity as their private security instead of setting up or patronizing private security companies. Why flex with taxpayers money used in paying police?
You think the world isn’t paying attention? How long have we had Boko problem? They are so brazen! How many murders and rapes have we successfully used science to solve? Zero! A nation without a DNA database, no coroner looking into unexplainable deaths. Young folks die Nigerians will tell you what killed the person without calling a detective or 911 to the scene so the coroner can investigate! I’ve always said a lot of silent spousal murders happen in Nigeria because there is no serious detective work and no compulsory autopsy!
Look at all these corona related deaths, do you know if a spouse dies here they won’t tell the other spouse before opening up an investigation that may take years? Sometimes they exhume the body, no religious sentiments. God is for good governance! Nigeria is a lawless country, watch “October 1” by Kunle Afolayan it was much better before! Too much emotion is why we have no more manufacturing without chinese and Indians acting as racist lords over us in our country! Did you know VON produced Volkswagen cars in Nigeria up to the eighties and Peugeot cars were once made in Nigeria? Today the warehouses of manufacturers are churches filled with unemployed people praying for jobs in locations God had provided as job places before. Yet the preachers preach to itching ears. Some with the wrong motive, ordaining themselves with any title that catches their fancy and some preach on overnight success without work, “ there is somebody here by tomorrow you will be a millionaire”, with shouts of Amen from the gala seller, the bank officer, the salaries doctor and the groundnut seller as if God who worked 6 days before resting on the 7th is a magician!
We need to force corrupt loot back into the country to be invested into manufacturing and job provision. If EFCC is recycling corruption, the youths of good conscience in 774 local governments should identify looters, don’t harm them, camp out en mass and live stream in front of their loots and demand factories instead of selfish rolexes and Swiss bank accounts forgotten in the West and Dubai!
No abuse, I’m a child of God, it backfires in Jesus Name
Fact!! I wish I could hug you @ Anonymous 5.09.
Delete