By Favour Ulebor
The United States Mission in Nigeria has clarified that visa application fees are non-refundable, regardless of whether an applicant is granted or refused a visa.
The mission stated this in a post on its official X account, @USinNigeria, on Wednesday, correcting the misconception that applicants are entitled to refunds when their visa applications are unsuccessful.
It explained that the fee covers the cost of processing an application and does not guarantee that a visa will be issued.
The post read: “MYTH: If a U.S. visa application is refused, the applicant receives a refund.
“FACT: The fee paid is an application processing fee, not a payment for a visa to be issued.”
The mission explained that the fee covers the processing of an application until a final decision is reached and is therefore non-refundable, irrespective of the outcome.
A check by Vanguard of the official website of the US Department of State, travel.state.gov, showed that the department also states that visa application fees are non-refundable because they cover the cost of processing applications to a final decision.
The department further states that applicants whose visas are refused under Section 214(b) of the US Immigration and Nationality Act must pay a new application fee if they decide to reapply.
A review of the department’s visa fee schedule showed that the application processing fee for several non-immigrant visa categories, including business and tourism visas, is $185.
The fee varies according to the visa category, with some attracting higher charges.
The department also explains that applicants found ineligible for a visa may reapply but are generally required to submit a new application and pay the applicable fee again, subject to specific exceptions.
The mission urged prospective travellers to obtain accurate information about US visa procedures through the official website of the US Department of State.
It also warned applicants against third-party consultants and fraudulent schemes promising guaranteed visas or refundable application deposits.
The mission advised visa seekers to rely on official US government websites ending in “.gov” when seeking visa information or applying for visas.
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