The United States of America has told Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, that its visa is a privilege and not a right.
The United States Embassy in Lagos stated this following the revelation by Soyinka that his US visa had been revoked by the country, reports The PUNCH.
Reacting to an inquiry by the newspaper regarding the revocation of the visa on Thursday, the Consulate said it could not discuss the details of the particular visa for confidentiality reasons.
The Public Diplomacy Officer, US Department of State, US Consulate General, Lagos, Julia McKay, said: “Under U.S. law, visa records are generally confidential. We will not discuss the details of this individual visa case.”
McKay added that visas could be revoked at any time at the discretion of the US government, noting that they are a privilege.
She said: “Visas are a privilege, not a right.
“Every country, including the United States, can determine who enters its borders.
“Visas may be revoked at any time, at the discretion of the U.S. government, whenever circumstances warrant.”
Soyinka had on Tuesday in Lagos told newsmen that his B1/B2 visa had been revoked by the US authorities.
He said at the media parley, titled: ‘Unending Saga: Idi Amin in Whiteface,’ at Kongi’s Harvest pavilion at Freedom Park: “It is necessary for me to hold this press conference so that people in the United States who are expecting me for this event or that event do not waste their time.
“I have no visa.
“I am banned, obviously, from the United States.
“And if you want to see me, you know where to find me.”
