The United States will begin enforcing a partial visa suspension for Nigeria and 18 other countries starting January 1, 2026.
This was disclosed in a statement on the website of the US Embassy and Consulates in Nigeria on Monday.
The suspension will affect nonimmigrant B-1/B-2 visitor visas, F, M, and J student and exchange visitor visas, as well as all immigrant visas, with limited exceptions.
Nationals of the affected countries who are outside the United States on the effective date and do not hold a valid visa will be subject to the restrictions.
What the US is saying
According to the statement, the restrictions apply to nationals of Nigeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Cote D’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, and The Gambia.
They also apply to Malawi, Mauritania, Angola, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
“Effective January 1, 2026, at 12:01 a.m. EST, in line with Presidential Proclamation 10998 on “Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States,” the Department of State is partially suspending visa issuance to nationals of 19 countries – Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Cote D’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe – for nonimmigrant B-1/B-2 visitor visas and F, M, J student and exchange visitor visas, and all immigrant visas with limited exceptions,” the statement read in part.
Exceptions are allowed for immigrant visas issued to ethnic and religious minorities facing persecution in Iran, dual nationals applying with a passport not subject to suspension, Special Immigrant Visas for US government employees, participants in certain major sporting events, and Lawful Permanent Residents.
The embassy emphasized that affected individuals may still submit visa applications and schedule interviews, but they may be ineligible for visa issuance or entry into the United States.
Backstory
Nigeria was added to the US travel restriction list earlier in December 2025. The Trump administration cited security concerns and issues with immigration compliance as the reason for the move.
The US referenced the activities of extremist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State, which complicate screening and vetting processes.
Nigerian nationals had recorded visa overstay rates of 5.56% for B-1/B-2 visas and 11.9% for F, M, and J visas according to the Fiscal Year 2024 Entry/Exit Overstay Report.
The US administration argued that these figures, alongside concerns about document integrity, identity verification, and regional instability, justified the inclusion of Nigeria under partial travel restrictions.
What “partial restrictions” mean for Nigerians
Nigeria is not under a complete travel ban but is subject to a partial suspension affecting both immigrants and non-immigrants applying for B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas.
Current visa holders, lawful permanent residents, diplomats, athletes, and travelers whose journeys serve U.S. national interests remain exempt.
The U.S. administration stressed that case-by-case waivers will still be available. However, certain family-based immigrant visa categories—cited by U.S. officials as having “demonstrated fraud risks”—will face tighter restrictions.
For Nigerians seeking new visas, this could mean more rigorous screening, longer processing times, and potentially higher rejection rates, especially for student, visitor, and family-related applications.
