There are indications that Nigerians seeking different types of non-immigrant visas for the purposes of business, visiting, schooling and health in 2017 in the United States of America (USA) would spend about N10.7 billion for the same purpose.

The estimate, according to data obtained by LEADERSHIP yesterday revealed that if at least 220, 000 Nigerians apply for the visa type, the applicants seeking non-immigrant visas to the US may also record a loss of N5 billion this year.

This development is as a result of an Executive Order issued by President Donald Trump on immigration banning seven Muslims-majority countries from entering the United States of America and seeking to deal with others based on diplomatic reciprocity.

According to available data, out of more than 220,000 non-immigrant visa applications adjudicated at the U.S Embassy in Abuja and the Consulate in Lagos in 2014, only 129, 392 visas were granted, resulting in a loss of N 2, 174, 592,000 to the 90,608 applicants whose visas were denied, going by the exchange rate of N150 to a dollar that time.

While the figures of applications received in 2015 and 2016 are not available, the U.S Homeland Affairs revealed that 143, 430 non immigrant visas were granted in Nigeria in the 2015 fiscal year, this is as the number of applications for visas keeps increasing year on year, relative to the refusal and success rates.

The figures further show that from 2011 through 2013, 54,019; 73,889 and 103,835 non immigrant visas were issued in Nigeria for the respective years.

The development also points to the fact that the total loss in application fees of $160 per applicant to unsuccessful non immigrant visa seeking Nigerians in 2017 could more than double the figure for the preceding years, going by the current exchange rate of N304.25 to a dollar and the refusal rate that may be higher because of the Executive Order.

A source at the U.S Consulate in Lagos declined to comment on the enforcement of the Order in Nigeria and its impact on visa applicants in Nigeria. When asked further if a more senior official of the Consulate could talk on the matter, the source simply reminded our correspondent of the former Acting Attorney General, Sally Yates, fired for defying the Order.

http://www.informationng.com/2017/02/trump-immigration-ban-nigerians-pay-n10bn-us-visa-2017.html

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