The United States of America has announced that it will begin a partial suspension of visa issuance to Nigerians from January 1, 2026, following a new presidential proclamation aimed at enhancing border control and national security.
The US Mission in Nigeria disclosed on Monday that 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 US will partially suspend the issuance of nonimmigrant B-1/B-2 visitor visas, as well as F, M and J student and exchange visitor visas. The restrictions also extend to immigrant visas, although limited exemptions apply.
According to the US Mission, the policy will affect only certain categories of applicants. Exemptions include lawful permanent residents of the United States, dual nationals travelling with passports from non-affected countries, and Special Immigrant Visa holders, particularly eligible US government employees.
Additional exemptions cover individuals granted immigrant visas as ethnic or religious minorities facing persecution in Iran, as well as participants in selected major international sporting events.
US authorities stressed that the proclamation applies strictly to foreign nationals who are outside the United States on the effective date and who do not hold a valid US visa as of January 1, 2026.
“Foreign nationals, even those outside the United States, who hold valid visas as of the effective date are not subject to Presidential Proclamation 10998,” the statement said, adding that no visas issued before the effective date will be revoked under the policy.
Visa applicants from affected countries may continue to submit applications and attend interviews. However, the mission cautioned that such applicants may be deemed ineligible for visa issuance or admission under the new rules.
The development comes amid growing concerns among Nigerians seeking to travel, study or migrate to the United States, following a series of recent policy actions.
In October, the US reinstated Nigeria on its religious freedom watch list, citing ongoing insecurity and attacks on Christian communities. This was followed by Nigeria’s inclusion in a revised US travel restriction list, which imposed partial entry limitations.
Earlier this year, the US also reduced the validity of most nonimmigrant visas issued to Nigerians to single-entry visas with a three-month duration. More recently, reports suggested that applications for certain immigrant visas, including green cards, could face suspension under the new proclamation.
US officials, however, have reiterated that lawful permanent residents and holders of valid visas issued before January 1, 2026, remain unaffected, and their immigration status will not be revoked.
