The United States will implement a partial suspension of visa issuance for nationals of Nigeria and 18 other countries beginning January 1, 2026, under a new presidential proclamation aimed at bolstering national security through enhanced screening and vetting procedures.
Announced by the U.S. Department of State on December 22, the measure stems from Presidential Proclamation 10998, signed by President Donald Trump on December 16 and titled “Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States.” The policy targets perceived deficiencies in information-sharing and security protocols in the affected nations, building on earlier restrictions reinstated during Trump’s second term.
Effective at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on New Year’s Day, the partial suspension applies to nonimmigrant B-1/B-2 visas (for business and tourism), F, M, and J visas (for academic students, vocational students, and exchange visitors), as well as all categories of immigrant visas. Limited exceptions include visas for ethnic and religious minorities facing persecution (such as certain cases involving Iran), dual nationals traveling on passports from unaffected countries, Special Immigrant Visas for U.S. government employees or affiliates, and participants in major international sporting events. Lawful permanent residents (green card holders) remain fully exempt.
The 19 countries subject to these partial restrictions are Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Many of these nations, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, have faced scrutiny over high visa overstay rates or inadequate cooperation on repatriation and identity verification.
Crucially, the proclamation does not retroactively affect existing visas. It applies solely to foreign nationals outside the U.S. on January 1, 2026, who do not already hold a valid U.S. visa. “Foreign nationals, even those outside the United States, who hold valid visas as of the effective date are not subject to Presidential Proclamation 10998,” the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria clarified in its statement. “No visas issued before January 1, 2026, at 12:01 a.m. EST, have been or will be revoked pursuant to the Proclamation.”
Applicants from affected countries may still submit applications and attend scheduled interviews, but consular officers are likely to find them ineligible under the new rules, leading to denials in most cases.
This partial suspension forms part of a broader expansion of entry restrictions under Proclamation 10998, which also imposes full visa bans on nationals of another 19 high-risk countries—including Afghanistan, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen—for nearly all immigrant and nonimmigrant categories. The updated framework modifies an earlier proclamation from June 2025, reflecting ongoing assessments by the Departments of State, Homeland Security, and Justice, in coordination with intelligence agencies.
For Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation and a key source of U.S. immigrants and students, the move could disrupt educational exchanges, family reunifications, and business travel. Nigerian nationals have historically benefited from diversity visas and student programs, though recent data from the Department of Homeland Security’s Fiscal Year 2024 Entry/Exit Overstay Report highlighted overstay rates exceeding 10% for certain visa categories among Nigerians, potentially contributing to the decision.
Immigration advocates and legal experts anticipate challenges, arguing the proclamation may disproportionately impact legitimate travelers while echoing controversial travel bans from Trump’s first term, which were upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018. Supporters, however, view it as a necessary step to address security gaps and enforce immigration laws more rigorously.
As the effective date approaches, affected individuals are advised to consult official U.S. embassy resources for case-specific guidance, with many rushing to complete pending applications before the cutoff.
