Nation
Nigeria Not Part Of $15,000 Visa Bond Pilot, US Govt Clarifies …As Trump Activates New Policy
The United States Mission has said Nigeria is not included in the US’ pilot visa bond programme.
The US Mission in Nigeria made this known in a statement on its website, yesterday.
The outgoing administration of US President Donald Trump had issued a new temporary rule for African tourists.
The new rule could require tourist and business travellers from some countries, most in Africa, to pay a bond of as much as $15,000 to visit the United States.
The US State Department said the temporary final rule, which takes effect December 24 and runs through June 24, targets countries whose nationals have higher rates of overstaying B-2 visas for tourists and B-1 visas for business travellers.
The statement read, “In response to the April, 2019, Presidential Memorandum on Combating High Non-immigrant Overstay Rates, the Department and our embassies and consulates overseas conducted an in-depth analysis to identify and address root causes of overstays.
“Among other efforts to address this challenge, the State Department is considering additional steps to address overstays, including piloting a limited visa bonds programme to test, in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security, the operational feasibility of posting, processing, and discharging visa bonds as means to ensure the timely departure from the United States of certain travellers.
“Accordingly, the State Department will begin a limited six-month visa bond pilot programme beginning on December 24, 2020.
“We are committed to combating visa overstays and making sure travellers to the United States respect?our laws.
“The implementation of this pilot builds on our engagement with foreign governments in recent years and will ensure continued progress to reduce overstay rates. Nigeria is not included in this six months pilot programme.”
Earlier, speculations had triggered panic that Nigerians and other non-Americans travelling to the United States will, from next month, pay between $5,000 and $15,000 bond.
This is as it has been revealed that the new policy by the Trump administration takes effect from December 24, 2020, and will last until June 24, 2021.
The Temporary Final Rule (TFR) is contained in a Department of State Public Notice: 11218 (RIN 1400-AE99).
The rule aims to discourage non-citizens’ overstay in America.
The notice stated that the programme does not aim to assess whether issuing visa bonds will be effective in reducing the number of aliens who overstay their temporary business tour as visitor/tourist (B-1/B-2) visa.
“Visa applicants potentially subject to the Pilot Programme include aliens who: are applying for visas as temporary visitors for business or pleasure (B-1/B-2); are from countries with high visa overstay rates; and already have been approved by DHS for an inadmissibility waiver.”
The State Department noted that the program applies to nationals of specified countries with high overstay rates to serve as a diplomatic tool to encourage foreign governments to take all appropriate actions to ensure their nationals timely depart the U.S. after making temporary visits.
“The Pilot Programme will run for six months. During that period, consular officers may require non-immigrant visa applicants falling within the scope of the Pilot Programme to post a bond in the amount of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000 as a condition of visa issuance”, it added.
The amount of the bond will be determined by the consular officer based on the circumstances of the visa applicant.
The rule authorizes consular officers to require the posting of a Maintenance of Status and Departure Bond (visa bond) by an alien applying for, and otherwise eligible to receive, a business visitor/tourist (B-1/B-2) visa.
The notice said the pilot program will help the State Department assess the operational feasibility of posting, processing, and discharging visa bonds, in coordination with DHS.
This, it noted, will inform any future decision concerning the possible use of visa bonds to address the national security and foreign policy objectives articulated in the Presidential Memorandum.
“The Presidential Memorandum highlights the fact that visa overstay rates are unacceptably high for nationals of certain countries and concludes that, “individuals who abuse the visa process and decline to abide by the terms and conditions of their visas, including their visa.”
An overstay is described as a non-immigrant lawfully admitted to the U.S. for an authorized period, but remains beyond his or her authorized period of admission.
The new policy comes months after America announced a plan to restrict students from Nigeria and others from admission of more than two years.
The DHS proposed a “maximum admission period of up to 2 years for certain students”.
The Chairman of the Osun State Park Management System (OSTMS), Comrade Nurudeen Iyanda Alowonle, was reportedly shot by officers of the state police command in the late hours of Monday.
The union, in a statement issued by its Secretary, Mikaela Popoola, in Osogbo, confirmed that its chairman was arrested over domestic issues and taken into police custody.
According to him, the shooting of the chairman occurred while in police custody, and the circumstances surrounding the shooting call for a thorough investigation.
The union scribe, who reiterated that the chairman was arrested over domestic issues and taken into police custody, called on members of OSTMS not to take the law into their own hands.
He stressed, “We must maintain peace across the parks while we take the matter up with the appropriate authorities.”
While confirming the shooting, a top Police officer, who preferred to remain anonymous, said, “Alowonle was arrested in connection with the alleged killing of one Oyewale in 2022 and the assault of some residents on Monday night.
“He was shot while attempting to escape and has been taken to a hospital for treatment.”
According to him, Alowonle was maimed by the police gunshot, and a Hummer bus with registration number AWK 480YD, an unregistered Nissan Almera, and a Toyota Sienna with registration number GNN 595 XD were also recovered from him.
“During the arrest, a Barrett pistol, six rounds of 9mm live ammunition, and one expended empty shell were recovered from Alowonle’s private unregistered Toyota Highlander jeep,” the officer said.
“Alowonle and his boys conveyed themselves in a Previn bus with registration number RBC 275XK, but a distress call to the police led to his arrest. He was rearrested at Susi area of Oke-Baale, Osogbo, alongside eight others before being taken to the state police command.”
Meanwhile, all possible efforts made to reach the spokesperson for the state Police Command, Mrs Yemisi Opalola, for comment on the incident proved abortive as calls put to her mobile phone were not answered.
The Rivers State Police Command has announced that its operatives neutralised a suspected kidnapper and cultist, identified as Gbarani Bume, in the Luawii Community of Khana Local Government Area (LGA).
Bume, also known as Pelele, was a member of the infamous Iceland cult group, which has been terrorising the Beree/Tabaa axis of Khana LGA along with his gang.
Spokesperson for the State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, disclosed this in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Sunday.
Iringe-Koko said that Pelele and his gang attempted to kidnap a site engineer working in Luawii when the police, acting on a tip-off, swooped in. Upon sighting the police, the suspects opened fire, but Pelele was fatally wounded after a fierce exchange of gunfire and later died.
The statement reads: “The Rivers State Police Command has made a significant breakthrough in its efforts to combat crime, neutralising a notorious cultist and kidnapper, Gbarani Bume, a.k.a. Pelele, a native of Bere Community in Khana LGA.
“He was a member of the Iceland Cult Group, which has been terrorising the Beree/Tabaa axis of Khana LGA.
“On the 15th of November 2024, operatives from the Bori Division, acting on a tip-off, were mobilised to Luawii Community where Pelele and his gang were attempting to kidnap a site engineer.
“Upon sighting the operatives, the hoodlums opened fire, resulting in a fierce crossfire, during which Pelele was fatally wounded. His accomplices escaped with various degrees of bullet wounds.
“Items recovered from the suspect include one AK-47 rifle, two magazines, and 10 rounds of live ammunition.”
She added, “An investigation is ongoing, and efforts are being intensified to apprehend the other fleeing gang members and bring them to justice.”
The state police spokesperson stated that this operation underscores the Command’s commitment to tackling crime and ensuring public safety in the state.
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