The Government of United State has said that Nigerians are free to travel to the country, saying there is no reason for Nigerians with valid visas to postpone or cancel their travel to the United States.
This was contained in a statement made available entitled: ‘’Nigerians Travelling to the United States’’ signed by the US Embassy Abuja.
The statement clarified that Nigeria is not named in the Executive Order on Immigration issued on March 6, 2017.
The clarification from the US was coming at the instance of the special adviser to the president on foreign affairs, Abike Dabiri-Erewa who said Nigerians “without any compelling or essential reasons” should consider delaying travelling to the US, as her office has received a few cases of Nigerians with valid multiple-entry US
visas being denied entry and sent back to Nigeria.
The statement added that there is no prohibition against Nigerian lawful permanent residents or persons with a valid visa or other US government authorization from entering the United States.
The statement reads in part: ‘’The US Embassy in Abuja wishes to clarify that there is no reason for Nigerians with valid visas to postpone or cancel their travel to the United States.
‘’Nigeria is not named in the Executive Order on Immigration issued on March 6.
‘’There is no prohibition against Nigerian lawful permanent residents or persons with a valid visa or other US government authorization from entering the United States,’’ the statement added.
Also, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, has said that Nigerians who have United States valid travel documents are free to embark on their trip without any fear of harassment.
The minister’s call came barely a day after Dabiri-Erewa, told Nigerians to shift plans to travel to US until the country’s new administration’s policy on immigration is clear.
According to him, the warning became necessary due to series of reports received by her office.
However, while briefing newsmen in Abuja, the Minister urged Nigerians to dismiss any report asking them to postpone their US trip.
He said, “This is not the case. No Nigerian with valid US visa were turned back.”
The minister disclosed that he had spoken to the US ambassador to Nigeria and high level US officials who said nothing of such had happened.
Onyeama noted that Nigeria is not among the countries currently under US travel ban, noting that both countries enjoyed cordial bilateral relations.
