THE United States has announced a partial suspension of the issuance of specific visa categories to Nigerians, effective January 1, 2026, under a new presidential proclamation on border and national security.
The US Mission in Nigeria announced on Monday that the restriction would take effect at 12:01 am Eastern Standard Time in line with Presidential Proclamation 10998.
“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 statement read in part.
“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,” it added.
The US clarified that the suspension was not blanket, adding that it exempted immigrant visas for ethnic and religious minorities facing persecution in Iran, dual nationals applying with passports from countries not affected by the measure, and Special Immigrant Visas for eligible US government employees.
Participants in certain major sporting events, Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs) are not affected by the decision.
The US emphasised that the proclamation applied only to foreign nationals outside the US, and who do not possess 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. No visas issued before January 1, 2026, at 12:01 a.m. EST, have been or will be revoked pursuant to the Proclamation,” the statement further stated.
It indicated that applications for certain immigrant visas, including green cards, could face suspension under a new presidential proclamation.
Visa applicants from affected countries may still submit applications and attend interviews. However, such applicants may be ineligible for visa issuance or admission to the US under the new rules.
The ICIR reports that the US has rolled out a series of restrictive measures in recent weeks, heightening concerns among Nigerians seeking to travel, study, or migrate to the country.
In October, Washington reinstated Nigeria on its list of countries accused of violating religious freedom, citing persistent insecurity and attacks on Christian communities as key concerns.
This was followed by Nigeria’s addition to a revised US travel ban list, which imposed partial entry restrictions on Nigerians.
President Donald Trump recently recalled the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills, in what appears to be part of a broader diplomatic shake-up across the country’s foreign missions.
Earlier this year, the US government reduced the validity of most non-immigrant visas issued to Nigerians to single-entry visas with a three-month duration.
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.