First Independent Mena Newspaper
African students pursuing education abroad are facing heightened scrutiny as the United States and United Kingdom ramp up enforcement of immigration compliance, raising concerns about travel equity and academic opportunity. In the U.K., the Home Office has launched a campaign warning tens of thousands of international students — many from Africa — about overstaying visas. […]
A new U.S. policy introducing a non-waivable $250 “visa integrity fee” for nonimmigrant visa applicants — particularly from African nations — has drawn sharp criticism for raising barriers to travel, education, and business. Part of the recently enacted One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025, the fee applies to nearly all visa categories, including tourist […]
The Trump administration is considering a dramatic expansion of its travel ban, potentially targeting 36 additional countries — 25 of them in Africa — with full or partial visa restrictions, according to a leaked State Department cable. Signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the memo cites a 60-day deadline for affected nations to meet […]
Maroc Telecom company has partnered with Visa Corporation to enhance digital payments and financial inclusion in Morocco and across the African subsidiaries of the major telecommunications company in the North African Kingdom. Thanks to this partnership, the users of MT Cash, Maroc Telecom’s Mobile Money solution, will benefit from the Visa payment services. This strategic […]
The Mauritanian authorities have convened to grant a multiple-entry visa valid for three months to Moroccan professional drivers operating in international road transport between Morocco and Mauritania, or between Morocco and West African and Sahel countries via Mauritanian territory, the Moroccan Embassy in Nouakchott announced. The competent Mauritanian authorities have responded favorably to Moroccan drivers’ […]
Visa Inc has announced plans to invest $1 billion over the next 5 years in Africa in a bid to capitalize on the emerging economy’s rapid growth in digital payments. “Visa has been investing in Africa for several decades to grow a truly local business,” chief executive officer Alfred Kelly Jr said in a statement. […]
Morocco and India expressed willingness to ease visa procedures notably for businessmen and tourists, Morocco’s foreign ministry said. This came during a videoconference between Morocco’s foreign minister and his Indian peer Subrahmanyam Jaishankar who expressed satisfaction at the growing ties between the two countries as evidenced by the signing of some forty agreements and memorandums […]
King Mohammed VI gave instructions for the abolition of entry visas for Chinese nationals as of June 2016, said Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Salaheddine Mezouar. King Mohammed VI announced his decision to President Xi Jinping during the meeting they held Wednesday at the Great Hall of the People, in Beijing, Salaheddine Mezouar told […]
In a bid to boost its tourism industry, Egypt has come up with the plan of exempting neighboring countries in the North African region from visa procedures when they are entering the country as tourists. It is being reported that only Libya, Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria are part of the exempted countries that will no […]