- US Partially Suspends Visitor, Student Visas for Nigerians from 2026
- President Donald Trump aimed at tightening entry into the United States on security grounds
- The proclamation outlines specific exemptions
The United States Embassy in Nigeria has confirmed that visa issuance for Nigerian applicants will be partially suspended from January 1, 2026.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the confirmation was made in a post published on the Embassy’s official X (formerly Twitter) page on Monday night.
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Nigeria is among 19 countries affected by a new immigration directive issued by President Donald Trump, aimed at tightening entry into the United States on security grounds.
According to the Embassy, the suspension takes effect at 12:01 a.m. EST on January 1, 2026, in line with Presidential Proclamation 10998, titled Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States.
Under the directive, the US Department of State will suspend the issuance of nonimmigrant B-1/B-2 visitor visas, F, M, and J student and exchange visitor visas, as well as all immigrant visas, subject to limited exemptions.
The countries affected include 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.
However, the proclamation outlines specific exemptions, including:
Immigrant visas for ethnic and religious minorities facing persecution in Iran
Dual nationals applying with passports from countries not under suspension
Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders who are current or former US government employees under 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(27)(D)
Participants in major international sporting events
Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs)
The Embassy noted that further guidance would be provided as implementation progresses.
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