…Emphasises compliance with visa regulations

From Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja

Following the new visa regime for Nigeria and other countries, the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills Jnr, has restated the United States position on why it recently reviewed its visa processing.

Addressing journalists in Abuja alongside the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, Mills said the United States visa criteria and the United States process for issuing visa were designed to protect the integrity of the United States Immigration Service, protect the United States security and also to ensure that entering and exit out of the country, the United States is able to follow it and track who is in and who is out and make sure that anyone who stayed, stayed legally in the country.

Mills also said the steps that the United States had taken were response to the new United States administration’s view that the government needed more rigorous processing overseas of visa applicants and also needed to address some of the security vulnerabilities that the United States Government noticed in its visa processing.

“So, that is the big picture of why globally, there has been a review of our visa processing and several, many countries have had tweaks made, revisions made to the visa processing, to the visa regime,” Mills said.

The United States had in its recent visa regulations for Nigeria, limited the validity of non-immigrant visa categories such as B1/B2, F, and J to a single entry of three months.
But the United States envoy further said what Nigerians needed to know was that the primary responsibility of obtaining visa was not to violate its terms.

He urged Nigerians not to stay beyond the amount of time that they were meant to stay, saying that if they overstay, it can result in deportation or a lifetime ban on future travel to the United States.

Mills further said it was important for Nigerians to understand that when they visit the visa window to apply for a visa, they should be as accurate as possible for the reasons for their travel, how they intend to fund the travel to the United States and what are the requirements in the individual’s life, situation, that required the person to return to Nigeria.

“That is the basic decision that every visa officer is making when they adjudicate a visa decision,” Mills stated.

Earlier, Mills said he had just concluded a very useful and productive meeting about United States visa laws and had a message for Nigerians, which was the importance of compliance with United States visa laws.

He added that the United States valued its very strong relationship with Nigeria and the many kinds of connections that exist between both countries.
Mills further said the United States visas played a vital role in keeping the ties going and strengthening, whether it was enabling travel for education, business, tourism or for cultural exchange.

He however said as the minister indicated, the United States administration considered it essential that visas were appropriately used in accordance with United States laws and regulations.

“We, of course, welcome Nigerian visitors to the United States. But just as Nigeria, I know, welcomes Americans to visit here, we both governments want visitors to respect our national laws and regulations,” Mills further said.

In his remarks, Idris said the parley would go a long way in fostering better understanding between the two countries.

Idris also said Nigeria is a globally acknowledged country of travellers, adding that Nigerians visit almost all parts of the world.

He added that because Nigerians engaged and travelled a lot, there was the need to have information shared with Nigerians from time to time as it affects travels among the people.

“Let me also acknowledge the fact that the United States remains one of the most frequented destinations for Nigerians. You find Nigerians travelling to the United States often and this goes a long way to reflect the deep understanding between the two countries and the deep relationship and the bond that exists between us – educationally, culturally, economically and in all spheres. The two nations share this a lot and we intend to keep it so and to deepen it,” Idris said.

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