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From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The House of Representatives has urged the United States of America to review its new visa policy, which restricts Nigerians to a three-month single entry visa.
It condemned the new policy and called for the restoration of the five-year multiple entry visa regime previously granted to Nigerians in the spirit of mutual respect, equity and reciprocity.
It noted that the decision of the US government to downgrade Nigerian visa status failed to take into consideration the historical, strategic and people-centric ties between both countries.
The parliament mandated the Nigeria-United States Parliamentary Friendship Group to convey its position to the US Congress, the US Department of State and the US Embassy in Nigeria, and to intensity bilateral legislative diplomacy for fairer immigration policies.
The House, while encouraging continued dialogue between Nigerian and American institutions to address security and human rights concerns, also mandated the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to engage the US Government “diplomatically to prevent further erosion of relations and to protect the dignity and mobility of Nigerian citizens.”
This followed the adoption of a motion, by Muhammad Muktar, and four others on “urgent need for the United States to review its visa policy in light of Nigeria, US strategic partnership.”
Muktar, in his lead debate, expressed concerns over the recent decision of the US government to limit the Nigerian non-immigrant visa validity to a three-month single entry visa.
The lawmaker, while stating that the policy could jeopardise the country’s target of US$1 billion monthly remittances through diaspora bonds, pointed out that Nigerians in the United States constitute “one of the most educated and productive immigrant communities, making enormous contributions to American healthcare, technology, academia, arts, entrepreneurship and public service.”
He contended that “the imposed three month single entry visa would inflict significant consequences across multiple spheres, including business constraints, academic disruption and diaspora and family strain.
“This decision comes despite the longstanding, strategic and historical relationship between Nigeria and the United States, a relationship grounded in mutual respect, shared democratic values, robust bilateral cooperation and people-to-people engagement.”
Muktar further argued that the new visa policy “undermines decades of goodwill, sacrifices and bilateral efforts invested by both governments, legislatures and citizens to promote common democratic goals, fight terrorism and deepen trade, education and cultural exchange.”
He stated the House must rise in defence of ordinary Nigerian citizens, whose aspiration to study, work or reunite with their families in the US is threatened by the new visa policy.
