Nigeria has been placed at the centre of a major visa policy update announced by the United States Mission in Nigeria, as Washington outlines changes that will take effect in the new year.
In an update shared on Monday via its official X handle, @USinNigeria, the mission disclosed that the U.S. Department of State will partially suspend visa issuance to nationals of 19 countries, including Nigeria, beginning January 1, 2026, at 12:01 a.m. EST.
The move, the mission explained, is “in line with Presidential Proclamation 10998 on ‘Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States.’”
According to the statement, the suspension affects nonimmigrant B-1/B-2 visitor visas, F, M, J student and exchange visitor visas, as well as all immigrant visas, subject to clearly defined exceptions.
Nigeria joins Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Venezuela, Zambia and Zimbabwe on the list of affected countries.
Key exemptions outlined
The U.S. Mission stressed that the policy is not a blanket ban and highlighted several important exemptions. These include:
Immigrant visas for ethnic and religious minorities facing persecution in Iran
Dual nationals applying with a passport of a nationality not subject to a suspension
Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) for U.S. government employees under 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(27)(D)
Participants in certain major sporting events
Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs)
Crucially for many Nigerians, the mission clarified that “Presidential Proclamation 10998 only applies to foreign nationals who are outside the United States on the effective date AND do not hold a valid visa on the effective date (January 1, 2026 at 12:01 a.m. EST).”
It further reassured travelers and students that “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 visa revocations
Addressing widespread concerns about existing visas, the U.S. Mission emphasized:
“No visas issued before January 1, 2026 at 12:01 a.m. EST, have been or will be revoked pursuant to the Proclamation.”
However, applicants should note that while submissions will continue, outcomes may vary.
“Visa applicants who are subject to Presidential Proclamation 10998 may still submit visa applications and schedule interviews, but they may be ineligible for visa issuance or admission to the United States,” the statement added.
As Nigerians assess what the changes mean for travel, education and migration plans, the U.S. Mission advised the public to seek official information and updates via travel.state.gov.
For now, the message from the U.S. authorities is clear: existing valid visas remain protected, while new applicants are encouraged to stay informed and plan ahead as the January 2026 implementation date approaches.