The United States Embassy in Nigeria has announced plans to partially suspend visa issuance to Nigerian applicants, with the new measure set to take effect from January 1, 2026.
The announcement was made on Monday night via the embassy’s official X (formerly Twitter) account.
Nigeria is among 19 countries impacted by a new immigration directive issued by former U.S. President Donald Trump, aimed at tightening entry requirements into the United States.
According to the statement, the suspension aligns with Presidential Proclamation 10998, which focuses on restricting the entry of certain foreign nationals in the interest of U.S. national security.
Under the directive, visa issuance will be halted for nonimmigrant B-1/B-2 visitor visas, as well as F, M, and J student and exchange visitor visas. In addition, most immigrant visa categories will be affected, subject to limited exemptions.
The countries listed under the partial suspension include Nigeria, Angola, Benin, Senegal, The Gambia, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and several others.
However, the U.S. government outlined specific exceptions to the policy. These include:
Immigrant visas for ethnic or religious minorities facing persecution in Iran
Dual nationals applying with passports from countries not affected by the suspension
Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) for eligible U.S. government employees
Individuals participating in certain major international sporting events
Lawful Permanent Residents (Green Card holders)
The embassy noted that the policy will take effect at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on January 1, 2026.