"I Will Stop £3000 Visa Bond" says, UK Deputy PM

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Hope rose yesterday for Nigerian first time visitors to the United Kingdom, who may be affected by the planned introduction of £3,000 (about N700,000, (visa bond as British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg vowed to block the implementation of the policy.

The British Government plans a new visa policy that will

see some “high risk” first time visitors deposit £3,000 in bond before being given visas.

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British secret agency, M16, police behind £3,000 visa bond against Nigeria – REPORT -

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A report from a United Kingdom based journal, University World News, has said the £3,000 visa pilot scheme against Nigeria was proposed by the British intelligence service, MI6 and British police headquarters at Scotland Yard.

The new UK visa scheme will impose £3,000 (US$4,740) in charges on unspecified visa applicants thought to be ‘high risk visitors’ from Nigeria, Ghana, Bangladesh, India and Pakistan.

The Nigerian government has threatened retaliatory measures if London goes ahead with the ‘refundable’ but unpopular visa bond.

Nigeria plans £5000 visa bond for UK citizens

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Three months to the commencement of the £3,000 visa bond regime due to be imposed on Nigerians travelling to the United Kingdom, the Federal Government may have perfected plans to impose a £5,000 visa bond on prospective British citizens visiting Nigeria.

This is in retaliation to the new but controversial immigration policy of the UK scheduled to commence in November 2013.

The Home Office of the United Kingdom, recently classified Nigeria, India, as “high risk” and placed a £3,000 bond on every Nigerian visiting Britain.

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£3,000 UK Visa Bond: We Will Retaliate –Federal Govt Insists

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The Federal Government of Nigeria on Tuesday insisted on retaliatory action against British citizens if their government went ahead with its plan to impose a £3,000 visa bond on visitors from Nigeria and five other Commonwealth countries.

“If and when a communication to that effect is received, the Federal Government will take appropriate steps to reflect its national interest. ”

Governor expressed displeasure that the UK authorities, which already set November as the discriminatory policy’s commencement time, had not formally communicate to it on the next step of action.

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UK visa: Nigerians begin payment of £3,000 bond Nov

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OUTCRY against its £3,000 tourists visa bond notwithstanding, Britain will commence the scheme in the six listed Commonwealth countries in November,Financial Times report quoted the Home Office as saying.

The Commonwealth countries to be affected by the policy which was announced in June are Nigeria, India, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

The affected countries are considered to be source of “high risk” tourists to the UK.

Some visitors from the six countries, under the scheme, will be asked to pay a £3,000 cash bond in return for visitor visas that allow them to stay in the UK for up to six months.

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£3,000 UK Visa Bond, Insult to Nigeria – Oba of Lagos

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Oba Rilwan Akiolu, Oba of Lagos, has described the £3000 visa bondbeing proposed by the United Kingdom’s Home Office for Nigerians wishing to enter the UK as an insult to Nigerians. Akiolu who spoke at an event where Peter Carter, deputy British High Commissioner, was present, berated the decision of the British government, saying the move was also an insult on Nigeria as a country.

The monarch said “Nigerians do not welcome the idea and the government of the United Kingdom (UK) should do something urgently to reverse the decision.” The British envoy in a swift reaction, said the decision was meant to checkmate high risk applicants adding that media report over the matter had caused a lot of upset.

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£3000 Visa Bond: UK Will Be The Bigger Loser - Abike Dabiri

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The Chairperson, House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora, Abike Dabiri-Erewa has claimed that the United Kingdom will pay dearly if its conservative government goes ahead with the planned 3,000 Pounds visa bond that will be required by some travelers from Nigeria.

Mrs Dabiri-Erewa while speaking as a guest on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily demanded that a policy of reciprocity by the federal government on all British travelers to Nigeria, adding that they should “even be made to pay a lot more.”

According to the lawmaker, some level of politics is involved in this policy as she claimed the ruling Tory party which seeks re-election, might be using the immigration policy to drive up sentiments ahead of the polls to help, “but it’s probably going to hurt them more” she warned.

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UK visa bond: Nigeria’ll reciprocate – Sen Nwagwu

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Senator Matthew Nwagwu (PDP Imo North), chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, is not happy with the proposed UK visa bond policy which seeks to compel visitors from some countries, including Nigeria to deposit to UK immigration authority, the sum of 3,000 pounds which they would forfeit if they overstay their visits. In this interview, he said Nigeria would pay UK in her own coins at the appropriate time.  What is the position of the Senate on the proposed United Kingdom policy that seeks to force visitors to UK to deposit 3,000 pounds to their immigration authority?

But as a Nigerian, I have to say that any government including the UK government has the right to make a law that will protect its interest. So it’s left to Nigeria also to make the law that will protect Nigerian citizens’ interests also. When they inform us officially on this policy, we will sit down to study it and then respond to them officially. We will not accept it if Nigeria is branded among the countries they are targeting and we will respond to them in that order. That is what we call reciprocity. If the policy comes into effect, it’s left to Nigerians also to begin to find alternative travel destinations.

£3,000 visa bond: FG summons British High Commissioner

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A diplomatic row  seems to be  brewing between Nigeria and the United Kingdom following a  proposed policy by the  British Government  requiring  Nigerian travellers to the UK to deposit £3,000 as bond in case they overstay  their visa limits.

On Monday,  the Federal Government  summoned the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr. Andrew Pocock, over the development  while the House of Representatives which flayed  the policy, argued that it could have negative impact on the relationship between  the two countries.

Nigeria, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Ghana, Pakistan and India are  listed by the UK  as  countries whose citizens are to deposit the £3,000 under  the  proposed  policy that will take off in November.

A Home Office official said the six countries highlighted were those with “the most significant risk of abuse.”

About 2.2million people are granted visas to enter Britain every year.