The United States Department of State has announced a partial suspension of visa issuance to nationals of 19 countries, including Nigeria, effective January 1, 2026, at 12:01 a.m. EST, in line with Presidential Proclamation 10998 aimed at protecting U.S. national security.
According to the notice, the suspension will affect nonimmigrant B-1/B-2 visitor visas, as well as F, M, and J student and exchange visitor visas, in addition to all categories of immigrant visas, with limited exceptions.
The affected countries 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.
However, the U.S. government clarified that the proclamation does not apply to all applicants. Exemptions include:
Immigrant visas for ethnic and religious minorities facing persecution in Iran
Dual nationals applying with passports from countries not listed in the suspension
Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) applicants who are U.S. government employees
Participants in certain major international sporting events
Lawful Permanent Residents (green card holders)
Importantly, the Department of State stressed that the proclamation only applies to foreign nationals who are outside the United States on the effective date and who do not hold a valid U.S. visa as of January 1, 2026.
Foreign nationals who already possess valid visas before the effective date will not be affected, and no visas issued before January 1, 2026, will be revoked under the proclamation.
Visa applicants from the affected countries may still submit applications and schedule interviews, but officials warned that such applicants may be deemed ineligible for visa issuance or admission into the United States under the new policy
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The announcement is expected to have significant implications for travel, education, and migration from affected countries, including Nigeria, which has consistently ranked among the top African sources of U.S. visa applicants.
