By Bizwatch Nigeria Limited,Boluwatife Oshadiya
Copyright bizwatchnigeria
The United States Mission in Nigeria has reiterated that visa application fees remain non-refundable, urging Nigerians to carefully prepare their applications to improve approval chances.
In a statement published on its official X handle and the U.S. Department of State website, the embassy explained that the fees are charged to cover processing costs, regardless of the outcome of an application.
“We hear your concerns regarding U.S. visa application fees. Like most countries, the U.S. visa fees cover the cost of processing the application, regardless of the outcome. While fees are non-refundable and non-transferable, each application is reviewed thoroughly and fairly. For best results, prepare your application carefully and use the resources on our website,” the notice read.
Earlier this year, the U.S. government revised its global visa fee schedule, raising charges across multiple categories, including student, business, work, and investment visas. For Nigerians, standard visitor visas (B-1/B-2) now cost $185, while temporary worker visas have increased to $205. Treaty trader and investor visas were adjusted upward to $315.
Additionally, new rules introduced in July mandate that most Nigerians applying for non-immigrant visas will only receive single-entry visas valid for three months. Applicants in student and exchange categories (F, M, J) are now also required to make their social media accounts publicly visible and disclose all usernames used in the past five years.
The U.S. State Department maintains that these measures are part of enhanced security vetting procedures.
