United States embassy in Nigeria has disclosed plans to overhaul its visa process to check activities of touts and give equal access to all genuine visa applicants in the country.
The new Consul General, Ms Donna Blair said this during a press roundtable at the Public Affairs Section of the Consulate in Lagos yesterday.
While she said the Consulate would have to put measures in place to make it almost impossible for touts to operate she accused the Nigerian government of being responsible for the rampant activities of visa touts in the country.
“There have been touts all the way. There were touts 20 years ago and they are still there today but I want you to know that it is the duty of host government to control the operations of touts. We at the Consulate will ensure that all intending visitors to the United States are given equal opportunities and are able to access the on line appointment bookings,” she said.
Ms Blair said the United States Missions in Nigeria was ready to provide best customer service and ensure the issue of double booking and tripple bookings that was causing problem for the consulate were totally eradicated.
She stated that the visa process in Nigeria is not different from the one in any other country of the world adding. “Whether in London, China, Kenya France or any other country, the process is the same. We operate by a rule of law and people working in our embassies around the world work from the same script.”
On the recent increase of the visa fee from $100 to $131, the new Consulate General said it was not only in Nigeria that the fee was increased but worldwide because of the value added to the visa processing procedure. “Some new technology had to be introduced to facilitate the process and for the security of applicants, to protect their identity.”
Concerning the pronounced militant activities in the Niger Delta area, Ms Blair said the American government was really concerned but noted that there was little they could do about the situation.
“We are very much atuned to what is happening there and we are very much concerned but it is really a domestic issue for Nigeria. What we do is that we maintain a very close contact with American companies there. We will assist if the Nigerian government call on us, but ordinarily we see it as purely a domestic issue,” she stated.
Ms Blair is a native of New Orleans, Louisiana. Before being posted to Nigeria as the Consul General, her most recent previous assignment was as Consul General Principal Officer in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Her other overseas assignment include serving in Kenya, Venezuela, Ghana, Nigeria (1984-87), Spain, Argentina and Hong Kong.
She is a member of the Senior Foreign Service and also a member of Rotary International.