The United States has stated that the recent executive order on immigration by President Donald Trump would not affect Nigerians hoping to travel to the country.
It added that the two-year multiple entry visas for applicants will continue as before.
It said, “Generally speaking, we issue two-year multiple entry visas to Nigerians based on reciprocity from Nigeria and this has not changed, the is no plan to change it to one year.”
This explanation was given before journalists in Abuja on Friday by the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Stuart Symington and the US embassy Consular Chief, Meghan Moore.
It assured Nigerians that the new order on ‘Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States’ would not also affect the validity of visas held by Nigerians, noting that its visa policy to Nigeria has not changed.
They said that US visa policy was based on reciprocity, maintaining that Nigerians would not be discriminated against.
Symington stated that the way Nigeria treats the US reflects in America’s visa policy to Nigerians.
Asked about the apprehension that Nigerian Muslims may be denied visa over their religious belief, Symington stated that America does not discriminate against people on the basis of their beliefs or race.
He said, “No place has opened doors to people more than the US. We haven’t said we have closed the doors and locked it, what we said is we are going to take a pause and conduct checks and ensure the safety of the people in the United States…the door would be opened again.
“I want to reassure by our actions starting from our consulate reception in Abuja and a Lagos that we would not discriminate on the basis of religion. If anyone didn’t get a US visa because they said their name was Paul or something, then they would be wrong.”
