The Presidency has explained that the United States reduced visa validity for Nigerians because of high rates of visa overstays and the need for better access to Nigerians’ records.
This followed the US government’s announcement to limit Nigerian visas to three-month single-entry instead of the usual five-year multiple-entry.
President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, confirmed this in a statement on Tuesday.
He said, “The United States Government has officially communicated that its decision was based on two principal factors: the current rate of visa overstays by Nigerian nationals and the need for reliable access to their records.”
Onanuga added that the US also mentioned the decision was part of its global visa reciprocity review, which often adjusts the number of entries and visa durations for different countries.
President Tinubu has now ordered federal agencies to strengthen cooperation with other countries on verifying identities of Nigerians seeking visas. “The President calls on all Nigerians to respect the immigration regulations of their host countries,” the statement read.
Despite the US decision, Nigeria will continue to issue five-year multiple-entry visas to American citizens.
Onanuga also said the government had not received any formal notice from the United Arab Emirates on a new visa policy for Nigerians, but noted that UAE visa issuance is gradually improving.
