In an effort to strengthen immigration compliance for citizens of high-risk nations, the United States has implemented new travel restrictions that may force Nigerians seeking B1/B2 business and tourism visas to pay a bond of up to $15,000. Nigeria is one of 38 countries impacted by the new policy, with 24 of those countries being in Africa, according to a notice issued by the US Department of State on Tuesday. Each nation will adopt the restrictions on a different date; Nigeria's implementation is set for January 21.
The new regulations compel Nigerian nationals or citizens who would normally be eligible for a B1/B2 visa to post a $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000 bond, which will be decided by a consular official during the visa interview.
Additionally, applicants must accept the bond terms using the US Department of the Treasury's online payment platform and submit the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Form I-352. The State Department cautioned that costs paid without a consular officer's direct order will not be reimbursed and emphasised that posting a bond does not ensure the issuance of a visa.
Additionally, bond-posting visa holders must enter the country through specific airports, such as Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia, Boston Logan International Airport, and John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.
The bond will only be reimbursed if the DHS documents the visa holder's departure from the US on or before the permitted date of stay, if the applicant does not visit the US before the visa expires, or if the traveller seeks admission at a US port of entry and is turned away.
“Any citizen or national travelling on a passport issued by one of these countries who is found otherwise eligible for a B1/B2 visa must post a bond for $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000. The amount is determined at the time of the visa interview.
“The applicant must also submit a Department of Homeland Security Form I-352. Applicants must agree to the terms of the bond through the Department of the Treasury’s online payment platform, Pay.gov. This requirement applies regardless of place of application. “A bond does not guarantee visa issuance. If someone pays fees without a consular officer’s direction, the fees will not be returned,” the notice reads.
Only one week has passed since the US imposed some travel restrictions on Nigeria. Nigeria was one of 15 countries—the majority of which are African—that the US government listed as having some travel restrictions on December 16. Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, and The Gambia are among the other nations on the list.
The actions of extreme Islamic terrorist organisations, such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State, in certain regions of Nigeria were mentioned by US authorities as creating "substantial screening and vetting difficulties".
A 5.56 per percent overstay percentage for B-1/B-2 visas and an 11.90 per cent overstay rate for F, M, and J visa categories were also mentioned by the US.
Consequently, immigrant visas, as well as a number of non-immigrant visas, such as B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J categories, are covered by the partial travel suspension. On January 1, the decree became formally operative.
