A retired Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Olukunle Bamgbose, has spoken on the indefinite suspension of the “Drop Box” policy by the United States.
Bambgose said this in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.
Bamgbose said: “I don’t think it has any major implications on the existing cordial and warm relations between our two countries.
“It’s possible that the suspension of the drop box policy could also have been triggered by some inappropriate actions of some Nigerians applying for visas through this door.
“By and large, every country is at liberty to change its visa administration and policy, taking into consideration its national interest.
“In any case, I don’t see the suspension of the drop box process affecting the issuance of appropriate visas to qualified Nigerians in any negative way.
“This is particularly so if the mission has the human capacity to cope with the number of visa applications.”
On his part, Amb. Dapo Fafowora, a former Deputy Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the UN, also said that there was no major or serious implication on the step taken by the U.S.
Fafowora said that U.S. had the right to review its visa policy any time and that the decision could be a way of scrutinizing travellers from Nigeria to the U.S.
He, however, said that applicants should not be discouraged to go to the embassy to appear in person for visa renewal
“People should be willing to go to the embassy to apply for visa; anybody willing to get U.S visa should be ready to go to the embassy for interview,” he said.
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