The United States Embassy in Nigeria has confirmed a partial suspension of visa issuance to Nigerians from January 1, 2026, following President Trump’s new immigration directive
U.S. Confirms Partial Visa Suspension for Nigerians From January 2026
The United States Embassy in Nigeria has confirmed that it will partially suspend visa issuance to Nigerian applicants beginning January 1, 2026, following a new immigration directive issued by President Donald Trump.
The confirmation was made in a post shared on the embassy’s official X (formerly Twitter) account on Monday night.
Nigeria is among 19 countries affected by the policy, which is anchored on Presidential Proclamation 10998, titled “Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States.”
According to the embassy, the suspension will take effect at 12:01 a.m. EST on January 1, 2026, and will apply to specific categories of visas.
The embassy’s statement read in part:
“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 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.”
Under the directive, the suspension covers nonimmigrant B-1/B-2 visitor visas, as well as F, M, and J student and exchange visitor visas, in addition to all immigrant visas, subject to limited exemptions.
However, the proclamation outlined specific exceptions, including:
- Immigrant visas for ethnic and 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 under 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(27)(D)
- Participants in certain major international sporting events
- Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs) of the United States
The development marks a significant tightening of U.S. immigration controls and is expected to impact travel, education, and family migration plans for thousands of Nigerians.
The embassy advised affected applicants to closely monitor official communications for further guidance and clarifications as the implementation date approaches. Read More
