Na wah o! As e be so now, United States don extend their controversial visa bond wahala like say dem dey play game. If you wan apply for visa, you fit need to drop as much as $15,000 before dem go even look your application well. Na serious matter o, especially for people wey dey come from Africa, as dem don add seven new countries join the list!
From January 1, e don clear say countries like Bhutan, Botswana, Central African Republic, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Namibia, and Turkmenistan don join the US visa bond party. This one come make the total number of countries affected be 38, and most of dem na from Africa. How e go be for students and business people wey no get that kind money for pockets? Dem dey waka for road to the US but the entry fee don make am tough like steel.
US State Department dey argue say this bond na way to make sure sey people go no linger when dem reach America. Dem talk sey if your visa no gree, the bond go still return to you. But how many people fit risk all that money just to take chance? For many of these countries, that bond wey dey range from $5,000 to $15,000 carry weight, pass their annual salary! E be like sey make dem no travel at all, because which family go fit gather that kind cash just to apply for visa?
As you dey hear this matter, just know sey other African countries like Mauritania, Tanzania, and Zambia don dey feel the heat since last August and October. The way dem dey increase this list make critics dey shout sey na just Africa dem dey target. Travel access don become a luxury, instead of a right.
And na not only the bond matter sef! Trump administration don also add extra wahala like mandatory in-person interviews and plenty questions about your social media history. All these wahala dey chop money and time, and make am tougher for people wey wan apply. E fit be say them want make the visa application process so hard, sey people go just give up!
Some people dey complain sey this policy dey dance on top the heads of students, tourists, and those wey get proper reasons to travel. For many families, this don cut their hopes like knife, as now, e no dey easy to even imagine taking your kids for holiday or seeking better life abroad.
Policy wey suppose promote connections and cultural exchange don turn to another burden. While US officials dey argue sey this policy dey necessary for national security, wetin about the economy wey dey suffer as potential money, partnerships, and enthusiasm dey waka away?
Matter dey drag like mosquito for soup, and nations wey dey get this wahala don dey look for diplomatic ways to address am. While dem dey lobby for change, make we just dey watch how this policy go unfold and wetin e go mean for the future of travel between US and Africa. People don dey pay attention, and if e continue like this, we fit see big changes for how countries dey relate to each other.
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