The United States Mission in Nigeria has declared that the country is not currently part of the pilot visa bond program.
The State Department had announced that certain nationals travelling to America will, from next month, will pay a bond.
Consular officers may require nonimmigrant visa applicants to post $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000 as a condition of issuance.
The new policy will last six months – December 24, 2020, up to June 24, 2021.
The Temporary Final Rule (TFR) aims to discourage non-citizens’ overstay.
Africa’s most populous nation is one of the countries with a high rate.
This is why Nigeria will be affected by the plan to limit admission into U.S schools to two years.
On Tuesday, the U.S Mission, ostensibly in reaction to media reports of the new rule, made a clarification.
A statement said acting on 2019 presidential memo on combating high overstay figures, the State Department, embassies and consulates overseas conducted analysis to identify and address root causes.
It confirmed that the State Department is considering additional steps to address temporary business visitor/tourist (B-1/B-2) visa overstays.
These include piloting a limited visa undertaking program to test, in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the operational feasibility of posting, processing, and discharging visa bonds to ensure travelers’ timely departure.
The Mission noted that the strategy is to get those who visit the U.S. to respect the laws.
The Mission said implementation of the pilot builds on America’s engagement with foreign governments in recent years.
‘Nigeria is not included in this six months pilot program’, the statement stressed.
AFRICA DAILY NEWS, NEW YORK
