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Friday, September 20, 2013

American Visa Lottery: Why Nigerians Are No Longer Eligible For The 2015 DV Lottery – United States Consul-General

Few days ago I reported on this blog that Nigerians will no longer be Eligible For 2015 US Visa Lottery Program. In case you missed it then, you can read it up HERE. And now the United States Consul-General, Mr. Jeffery Hawkins, has given reasons why Nigeria was excluded from the Visa-Programme.
Hawkins told journalists at the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos, that Nigeria was among other countries that had in the last five years, sent more than 50,000 immigrants to the country through the programme.
“As at today, Nigerians have graduated from being under-represented to being a fully well represented group in the U.S.

“There is therefore no longer any need to encourage Nigerians to apply to travel to the U.S. through the Diversity-Visa-Programme.

“Already there are too many Nigerians in the U.S. that have benefited from this programme,’’ he said.
The envoy explained that the diversity visa was created to promote countries with low rates of immigration to the U.S.
Hawkins said that Nigeria and other affected countries had already exceeded their quota in the last five years.
He, however, stressed that the U.S. authorities would continue to give preference to Nigerians travelling to U.S for visits, business transactions, studies and professional engagements.
“All other types of immigration from Nigeria to the U.S, apart from the diversity visa, would continue unabated.

“Also, let me say that the ban has nothing to do with our relations with Nigeria now, and in the years ahead,’’ the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the envoy as saying to journalists.

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