The United States has cancelled the reciprocity fee imposed on visa applications from Nigeria, noting, however, that Visa application fees remain at $160.
It was disclosed that the development was a follow up to the removal of excess visa application, processing and biometric fees for American citizens applying for Nigerian visas.
The U.S Department of State announced in August 2019, that Nigerians will be required to pay a visa issuance fee, or reciprocity fee, for all approved applications for nonimmigrant visas in B, F, H1B, I, L, and R visa classifications. The US Consulate at the time said: “the reciprocity fee will be charged in addition to the nonimmigrant visa application fee, also known as the MRV fee, which all applicants pay at the time of application.”
The consulate had said U.S citizens pay $110 higher, to apply for a Nigerian visa, than what Nigerians pay to apply for a U.S visa, as a result, the federal government reduced visa application fees for US citizens.
A statement on the official website of the U.S. Embassy & Consulate in Nigeria said:
Effective December 2, 2020, the reciprocity schedule for Nigeria changed to remove all reciprocity fees for the nonimmigrant visa categories listed below. There are no reciprocity fees remaining on any visa class for Nigerian nationals.
All non-immigrant visa applicants are still required to pay the $160 non-refundable MRV fee at the time of application. Reciprocity fees paid prior to December 3, 2020, are not refundable.
The removal of these reciprocity fees matches the Nigerian government’s removal of additional fees on U.S. citizens applying for Nigerian visas.
A statement signed by Ferdinand Nwonye, the spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said:
The ministry of foreign affairs wishes to inform that the United States government has removed all visa reciprocity fees for Nigerian citizens seeking visas to the United States.
The positive development is in line with the removal of excess visa application, processing and biometric fees for United States citizens applying for Nigerian visas by the Nigerian government.
The United States government has therefore eliminated reciprocity fees for Nigerian citizens with effect from December 3, 2020.