Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, on Wednesday held discussions with the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills in Abuja, focusing on the recently updated U.S. visa procedures for Nigerian citizens.
The meeting also addressed Nigeria’s commitment to ensuring its nationals adhere to international travel regulations, particularly regarding visa overstays.
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The session, attended by Kemi Nanna Nandap, Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), and Magdalene Ajani, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Interior, was described by Mr Tunji-Ojo as ‘constructive.’
He stated that Ambassador Mills provided valuable insights into the revised protocol and its alignment with established practices to uphold the integrity of the visa process.
According to him, the U.S. envoy commended Nigeria’s new e-visa policy, describing it as ‘an innovation intended to streamline and enhance the application process for foreign travellers into the country.’
Both the Ministry of Interior, the Nigerian Immigration Service, and the U.S. Mission in Nigeria have agreed to strengthen their collaboration.
This partnership will emphasise strict adherence to visa regulations and promote responsible travel behaviour among Nigerian citizens.
The statement outlined the Nigerian government’s commitment, under President Bola Tinubu’s leadership, to ensure rigorous compliance in several key areas.
These include securing reliable travel documents by ensuring that only travellers with verified identities are issued such documents.
They also involve implementing effective visa overstay management strategies to reduce the number of individuals who remain in the U.S. beyond their authorised stay.
Additionally, the measures promote information sharing between countries, particularly the exchange of relevant security and criminal records, to enhance public safety.
This diplomatic engagement follows Tuesday’s announcement by the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria regarding a significant modification to its visa policy for Nigerian nationals.
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The updated policy reduces the validity period and entry allowance for most non-immigrant and non-diplomatic visas.
Under the new rules, the majority of affected visas will now be restricted to a single entry with a three-month validity period.
