THE United States Mission in Nigeria has announced that all visa applicants, including Nigerians, are subject to security checks even after their visas have been approved.
In a statement shared on its official X account on Monday, the mission explained that visa security vetting is a continuous, multi-layered process.
“All visa applicants, no matter the visa type and where they are located, are continuously vetted. Security vetting runs from the time of each application, through adjudication of the visa, and afterwards during the validity period of every issued visa, to ensure the individual remains eligible to travel to the United States,” the statement read.
The mission explained that security vetting is used by US authorities to assess applicant’s background, including criminal history, potential security risks, and other factors.
It added that the vetting applied to all applicants regardless of visa type or location and is intended to ensure that applicants are eligible to travel to the United States.
The ICIR reports that the development comes amid growing concerns over a travel policy introduced by former US President Donald Trump in December 2025, which placed Nigeria on a list of countries facing partial entry restrictions into the United States.
On December 16, 2025, the White House announced a sweeping expansion of US travel restrictions affecting dozens of countries. Nigeria was not fully banned but placed under partial restrictions, limiting Nigerians’ entry for several visa categories, including B-1/B-2 business and tourism visas, and F, M, and J student visas. It cited concerns over national security, visa overstays, and gaps in identity verification systems.
Nigeria was grouped among about 15 countries facing partial restrictions, while others, mostly in Africa and the Middle East, faced outright bans.
Washington cited terrorism threats, religious violence, and instability as part of the broader justification for tightening immigration controls involving Nigeria.
In late December 2025, Trump recalled several ambassadors across Africa, including its envoy to Nigeria, Richard Mills Jr, as part of a wider policy shift by the Trump administration which affected nearly 30 diplomats globally. The policy aimed at restructuring the country’s foreign service and installing new envoys aligned with its agenda.
Following Mill Jr’s departure in January 2026, the US embassy in Abuja has since been led by a chargé d’affaires, reflecting a temporary downgrade in diplomatic representation.
The ICIR reported that the mission said in March 2026 that visa restrictions were not permanent. It added that travel policies remained under review and could be eased if security and identity management standards improved.
It further noted that strengthening systems around screening, vetting, and information-sharing would enhance global safety, suggesting that Nigeria could see changes in its status if it meets required benchmarks.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.