The United States will implement a partial suspension of visa issuance for Nigerian applicants beginning January 1, 2026, as part of a broader presidential proclamation aimed at strengthening border and national security.
In an announcement on Monday, the U.S. Mission in Nigeria stated that the restriction will take effect at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Standard Time under Presidential Proclamation 10998, titled “Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States.”
Nigeria is one of 19 countries affected by the measure. Others include Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
The proclamation partially suspends the issuance of:
– Nonimmigrant visas, including B-1/B-2 visitor visas, and F, M, and J student and exchange visitor visas.
– Immigrant visas, though limited exceptions will apply.
The policy reflects the current administration’s continued focus on immigration control and national security, though it stops short of the broader travel bans enacted under previous U.S. administrations.
