US to suspend visa issuance to Nigerians from January 1, 2026

The United States will partially suspend the issuance of certain visas to Nigerian nationals from January 1, 2026, following a new presidential proclamation on border and national security.

The US Mission in Nigeria announced on Monday that the restriction will take effect at 12:01 am Eastern Standard Time in line with Presidential Proclamation 10998, titled “Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States.”

According to the statement, Nigeria is among 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 provides for a partial suspension of visa issuance covering nonimmigrant B-1/B-2 visitor visas, as well as F, M and J student and exchange visitor visas. It also applies to immigrant visas, with limited exceptions.

The US Mission clarified that the suspension does not apply to everyone.

Exemptions include immigrant visas for ethnic and religious minorities facing persecution in Iran, dual nationals applying with a passport from a country not affected by the suspension, and Special Immigrant Visas for eligible US government employees.

Other exempted categories include lawful permanent residents of the United States and participants in certain major international sporting events.

The US government stressed that the proclamation only applies to foreign nationals who are outside the United States on the effective date and who do not hold 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 read.

Visa applicants from affected countries may continue to submit applications and attend interviews.

However, the US Mission noted that such applicants “may be ineligible for visa issuance or admission to the United States” under the new rules.

Recent weeks have seen a series of restrictive measures by the United States that have heightened concerns among Nigerians seeking to travel, study or migrate to the country.

In October, Washington added Nigeria back to its list of countries accused of violating religious freedom, a move that officials linked to persistent insecurity and attacks on Christian communities.

This was followed by Nigeria’s inclusion on a revised US travel ban list, imposing partial entry restrictions on Nigerian nationals.

The US has also tightened immigration and visa policies affecting Nigerians.

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.

More recently, reports indicated that applications for certain immigrant visas, including green cards, could face suspension under a new presidential proclamation, although US authorities have clarified that lawful permanent residents and holders of valid visas issued before January 1, 2026, are exempt and will not have their status revoked.