Lagos, Nigeria – Big wahala don land! The United States just dropped one heavy visa bombshell on Nigerians, Ghanaians, Cameroonians, and Ethiopians. Na so dem change their non-immigrant visa policy. You fit now only enter US once, and your visa go expire after three months. How e take be? We go chop gist.
This new visa policy na sharp turn from how things dey before. Before, people fit get multiple entries, and some visas dey last for two years. But this time, US Department of State dey yan say dem dey try ‘global reciprocity realignment’ (we no sabi wetin dat one mean but e no dey sweet). According to dem, they go wave goodbye to long-term visas, and hello to this three-month single entry wahala.
Nigeria no just sit down fold hand for this matter. Dem talk say, ‘No be so e be for our side.’ Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga don come out to clear air say we still dey issue five-year multiple-entry visas for US citizens dem. E even vex say the reason wey US dey give no reflect reality! (Start to arrange your travel plans, because e be like say wahala go dey.)
For inside this stew, Ghana no wan carry last. Dem don reveal say dem give over 28,500 multiple-entry visas to US citizens this year alone. E mean say their relationship dey strong, even as dem dey call for early resolution to the new visa kabuki dance. Just like Nigeria, Ghana dey tinker with cultural and educational opportunities; them dey fear say this new restriction fit scatter everything.
But chinwe, gally gally, we no go even talk about Cameroon and Ethiopia. Dem dey see short-term visas now too, no response from their side yet. Na wetin the government of each country dey think be say the US don come use bouncer vibe to them. They just dey observe this visa jigsaw puzzle from sidelines.
The US don also dey add social media checks for anyone wey wan apply for visa. If you get any wahala for your accounts, abeg pack your load. Your visa fit catch fire fast, no be joke! The US dey yan say dey dey try increase security for the country, but some people don dey reason say na seriously imbalance reward for Nigerians wey dey trek enter America to study and do business.
Luck no dey shine way-up for US Nigerian students o! We be the highest source of international students from Africa, as per recent report wey show 13.5% increase from last year. Who go wan chop this type blow in terms of their educational opportunities? Immigration lawyer Godwin Oke talk say na classic case of visa reciprocity. But we go see how this go pan out.
As Nigerian government dey respond, some experts dey reason say this no be only about reciprocity but also about how Nigeria dey manage its global ties. You know say we don dey jump into BRICS connection, which dey raise eyebrows for the US. Na wait-and-see matter be this. Meanwhile, the US embassy dey maintain say dem wan protect their citizens and tighten rules, so e fit make dem feel dey safer.
As we dey chop gists, we go keep our eyes open to see how this saga go play out. E fit change the landscape for travel and tourism, especially for students wey dey dream to start a new life for America.
