The Nigeria Immigra­tion Service (NIS) has announced a new visa regime for citi­zens of the United Kingdom, United States, United Arab Emirates (UAE), France, and 147 other countries.

The service stated that the new regime, which consists of transit, business (single), business (multiple), tourism, visiting (single), visiting (mul­tiple), journalist, cleric, med­ical tourism, religious, study tour, academic exchange, cul­tural exchange, humanitari­an, emergency, Staff of NGO visas, Temporary Work Per­mit (TWP) and others attract different fees and it is based on the principle of reciprocity.

The new regime, which commenced on Thursday, Oc­tober 1, Mr Sunday James, the Service Public Relations Offi­cer (PRO), said was approved by Ogbeni Ra’uf Aregbesola, the Minister of Interior, according to Independent News. 

According to the new re­gime, citizens from the Unit­ed Kingdom on transit visa would pay the sum of $84, multiple visas attracts $801, visiting (single), $125; study tour, $250; academic exchange, $250.

For the United States’ citi­zens, transit visa attracts $160; business (single), $160; medi­cal tourism, $250, while TWP visa now goes for $460.

For citizens of the UAE, transit visa is now $15 and $25; tourism visa, $87; visiting (single), $166; visiting (multi­ple), $425.

For French citizens, busi­ness visa (single), $71; busi­ness (multiple), $177; tour­ism, $71; visiting (single), $71; visiting (multiple), $117; jour­nalist, $71; cleric, $71; med­ical tourism, $71; religious, $71; sports, $71; emergency, $71; study tour, $71; academic exchange, $71; cultural ex­change, $71; humanitarian exchange, $71; staff of INGO, $71; while TWP visa attracts, $117.

Countries that attracted different visa regimes in­cluded Dominica, Dominica Republic, DR. Congo, Egypt, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Australia, Austria, Azer­baijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Be­larus, and Belgium.

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Others are Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Iraq, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Libya, Mexico, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Seychelles, Slovenia, South Africa, Sin­gapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden and many others.

Citizens from West African countries like Gabon, Ghana, Liberia, Benin, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Ghana, Gam­bia, Togo, Liberia, Mali, Sen­egal, Sierra Leone, and oth­ers are exempted from visa fees, while Mauritius and Sri Lankan citizens are visa-free.

James in the statement said that the new visa regime is based on the principle of reciprocity and urged stake­holders, concerned authori­ties, and individuals to visit the official website of the ser­vice for more information on the new policy.

Part of the statement read: “The Comptroller General is inviting stakeholders, con­cerned authorities and in­dividuals to visit the official website of the service via www.nigeriaimmigration. gov.ng for full details of the new visa fees for all countries and categories of applicants.

“Equally, the service will commence the implementa­tion of the Nigeria Visa Policy 2020 (NVP 2020), launched on the 4th February 2020, by Pres­ident Muhammadu Buhari.

“The implementation of the new visa fees and Nige­ria Visa Policy 2020 (NVP 2020) commences on 1st Oc­tober, 2020.”