Niger will restrict where nationals of certain European countries can obtain a visa for the Sahel country in response to the "difficulties" it says Nigerien citizens face in obtaining visas from European embassies.
It comes after Foreign Minister, Bakary Yaou Sangare, complained that Nigerien citizens "continue to travel to neighbouring countries to complete the formalities of obtaining a visa", the AFP news agency reports citing an internal note.
The minister said Niger had "submitted a request for European embassies present in Niamey be authorised to issue visas on site", which, according to him, "remained unanswered".
"From now on, the embassies of Niger in Geneva, Ankara and Moscow are the only ones authorised to issue entry visas to Niger for nationals of the following countries: Italy, the Netherlands, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Kingdom of Belgium, the United Kingdom," the minister said.
‘Reciprocal principle’
That move was "in application of the reciprocal principle", he argued.
Applicants holding diplomatic or service passports could have their visas issued at Niger's embassy in Brussels, he added.
Previously, Nigerien citizens could obtain visas to access the Schengen free movement area through France's consulate in the capital, Niamey.
But Niger's relations with its former colonial ruler have turned especially frosty, with Niamey expelling France's ambassador.
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