The Federal Government of Nigeria has pledged to take diplomatic action and engage with relevant authorities to address the suspension of the drop box service for Nigerians renewing their US visas.
The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs, Oluwole Oke, revealed this when he featured on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Tuesday.
“I am in the US. I will take this matter up. After finishing my meeting in New York, I will also be in Washington. We have a chargé d’affaires there, and I will discuss this issue with him to find a way to resolve it,” Oke said.
Oke explained that the suspension of the service was not a major issue, as Nigeria does not offer a similar service to Americans renewing their Nigerian visas.
He stated, “I don’t think this is a serious issue. The United States has the right to cancel the drop box procedure for Nigerians renewing their visas. In diplomacy, there is the principle of reciprocity.
“As for visa renewal, that’s not a service we offer Americans in the United States. When Americans or Nigerians born in America want to renew their visas, we don’t provide them with a drop box. The fact that they gave us the option was entirely their choice.”
Oke added that until President Bola Ahmed Tinubu took office, the US government issued Nigerians two-year visas, while Nigeria issued US citizens only one-year visas.
“Later, the US extended visas to five years, but we still issued only one-year visas. It was only when President Tinubu came into office that he instructed the Minister of Interior to apply the same five-year rule for Americans.
“Unfortunately, this decision is theirs to make. I contacted the Minister of Foreign Affairs to find out if he had any official communication on this matter, and he clearly stated that there has been no message from the United States about it,” he added.
Oke expressed optimism that the US government would review some of its policies, adding that Nigeria remains an important country on the global stage.
“Nigeria is a very important country in the world, and no nation would want to ignore us. Take it from me. We are a valuable asset, and the world is watching. I believe that in the future, we will benefit from the actions of President Donald Trump.”
The drop box system allowed applicants—especially those with a recent US travel history—to submit passports without interviews, making the visa renewal process faster.
However, over the weekend, visa applicants in Nigeria reported that the US had stopped its drop box service, meaning that all visitor visa applicants must now attend in-person interviews for renewals.