The United States has announced plans to partially suspend the issuance of certain categories of visas to Nigerian citizens from January 1, 2026, following a new presidential proclamation focused on strengthening border control and national security. The US Mission in Nigeria disclosed on Monday that the measure will take effect at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Standard Time in accordance with 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 policy.
Other countries named in the proclamation 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. According to the US Mission, the proclamation introduces a partial suspension of visa issuance, covering nonimmigrant B-1/B-2 visitor visas as well as F, M and J visas for students and exchange visitors. The restrictions also apply to certain immigrant visa categories, although several exemptions have been outlined.
The Mission emphasized that the policy does not apply to all Nigerian travelers or migrants. Exemptions include immigrant visas for ethnic and religious minorities facing persecution in Iran, dual nationals applying with passports from countries not subject to the suspension, and Special Immigrant Visas for eligible US government employees. Other exempted groups include lawful permanent residents of the United States and participants in selected major international sporting events.
US authorities clarified 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 as of January 1, 2026. “Foreign nationals who are inside the United States, or who hold valid visas as of the effective date, are not subject to Presidential Proclamation 10998. No visas issued before January 1, 2026, at 12:01 a.m. EST, have been or will be revoked under the proclamation,” the statement said.
Despite the new measures, the US Mission noted that visa applicants from affected countries, including Nigeria, may continue to submit applications and attend scheduled interviews. However, it warned that such applicants may ultimately be deemed ineligible for visa issuance or entry into the United States under the new rules. The announcement comes amid growing concern among Nigerians seeking to travel, study or relocate to the United States, following a series of recent US policy decisions.
In October, Nigeria was added to a US list of countries accused of violating religious freedom, a designation linked by US officials to ongoing insecurity and attacks on Christian communities. This was followed by Nigeria’s inclusion on a revised US travel restriction list imposing partial entry limits on its nationals. The United States has also tightened immigration and visa policies affecting Nigerians more broadly. Earlier this year, the validity of most nonimmigrant visas issued to Nigerians was reduced to single-entry visas with a three-month validity period.
More recently, reports indicated that applications for certain immigrant visas, including green cards, could face suspension under the new proclamation. US authorities have since clarified that lawful permanent residents and holders of valid visas issued before January 1, 2026, remain exempt and will not have their immigration status affected.
