The United States Embassy in Nigeria has announced a partial suspension of visa issuance for Nigerian nationals, effective January 1, 2026. This was a result of the Presidential Proclamation 10998, titled “Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States”.
Nigeria is one of the 19 countries placed on a partially restricted list due to concerns over security vetting deficiencies and high visa overstay rates. The policy only affects visitor, student, and immigrant visa categories.
For Nigeria, the U.S. government pointed to specific data regarding visa overstays. For example, during the evaluation period, Angola, also on the list, had a 21.9% overstay rate for student visas, while Nigerian overstay rates have also been a point of contention in bilateral security talks. The suspension is meant to put pressure on affected nations to improve their information-sharing protocols and border security measures.
The suspension primarily impacts B-1/B-2 (Visitor), F/M (Student), and J (Exchange) visas, as well as almost all Immigrant Visas.
The proclamation does not revoke valid visas issued before January 1, 2026. If you already have a valid U.S. visa, you can still use it for travel.
Nigerians can still apply for an interview, though they may be ineligible for issuance unless they meet specific national interest exceptions, unlike “Full Ban” in countries like Afghanistan or Iran.
The U.S. Embassy stated that certain categories remain eligible for visa issuance despite the proclamation:
- Dual Nationals: If applying with a passport from a country not on the restricted list
- Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs): Current Green Card holders are not affected.
- Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs): For certain U.S. government employees.
- Athletes: Participants in major international sporting events.
- Diplomatic Visas: A-1, A-2, and G visas for official government business.
The Federal Government of Nigeria has yet to issue a formal response, though officials are expected to engage the U.S. Department of State to address the specific vetting deficiencies mentioned in the proclamation
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