Nigerians To Pay For UK Visa In Dollars.......

Barely five weeks after the United Kingdom’s cancellation of the proposed 3,000 pounds visa bond, the government has announced a new regime that would now require applicants to pay for visas in US dollars.

The announcement, which was made yesterday through the British High Commission in Nigeria, said the new system will require Nigerian applicants and others to pay online in US dollars from December 16, 2013.

In a statement signed by its press and public affairs officer, Mr Rob Fitzpatrick, the commission said: “From Dec. 16, 2013, all applications for U.K. visa must be completed using our online application system and paid for online in U.S. dollars.”

Fitzpatrick added that payment can be made using a Verve debit card, Visa or MasterCard credit or debit cards or thee-wallet PAGA.

The statement also said that the move to online application and payment will deliver a streamlined process. “It is also consistent with a wider global trend to online transactions and payments,’’ it said.

In June this year, the UK government announced plans to impose a 3,000 pounds visa bond on Nigeria and nationals of some countries intending to travel to the UK.

According to the UK home secretary, Theresa May, the bond targeted Nigeria, India, Ghana, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka tagged as “high-risk” countries.

The scheme, which Britain said was a pilot to test the effectiveness of bonds as deterrent against visa abuse, was expected to take off in November 2013.

Following the disclosure, there was an uproar as various individuals and groups from the affected countries reacted to the development which they termed as discriminatory.

The decision to scrap the controversial bond, according to the Sunday Times, was taken after Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg threatened to block it.

While expressing optimism that the application s system would cut costs in the management of visa operation as well as help to reduce visa fees, the commission added that the new system had met the requirements of the U.K. Government’s Digital by Default Initiative.

The commission also said that the system would be safer for customers as it would reduce the risk of handling large sums.