The United States has announced a partial suspension of visa issuance to Nigerians, effective January 1, 2026, as part of a new presidential proclamation aimed at strengthening border and national security.
The US Mission in Nigeria said the restriction will take effect at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Standard Time in line with Presidential Proclamation 10998, titled “Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States.”
Nigeria is among 19 countries affected by the measure. Others include Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Venezuela, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Under the proclamation, the suspension covers nonimmigrant B-1/B-2 visitor visas, as well as F, M and J student and exchange visitor visas. It also applies to immigrant visas, although limited exceptions have been provided.
US authorities clarified that the policy does not apply to all travellers. Exemptions include lawful permanent residents of the United States, dual nationals travelling with passports from countries not affected by the suspension, and individuals holding valid US visas issued before January 1, 2026. Special Immigrant Visas for eligible US government employees and participants in certain major international sporting events are also excluded.
The US government stressed that the proclamation applies only to foreign nationals who are outside the United States on the effective date and who do not possess a valid US visa at that time. It added that no visas issued before January 1, 2026, will be revoked under the new policy.
Visa applicants from affected countries may continue to submit applications and attend interviews. However, the US Mission warned that such applicants may be deemed ineligible for visa issuance or entry under the new rules.
The announcement comes amid heightened concerns among Nigerians seeking to travel, study or migrate to the United States, following recent changes to US immigration and visa policies that have tightened entry requirements for Nigerian nationals.
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