Travel Restriction: “No visas issued before January 1, 2026, will be revoked,” US assures Nigerians

Visas issued to Nigerians before January 1, 2026, will remain valid despite new US travel restrictions, the United States embassy has said, following widespread concern over a recent presidential proclamation.

Nigeria is among 15 mostly African countries placed on partial travel suspensions by the US government on December 16. Others on the list include Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, and The Gambia.

In Nigeria’s case, US authorities cited the presence and activities of radical Islamic terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State in parts of the country, which they said create substantial screening and vetting challenges. The US also pointed to visa overstay rates, including a 5.56 percent overstay rate for B-1/B-2 visas and an 11.90 percent overstay rate for F, M, and J visas.

The partial suspension affects both immigrant and non-immigrant visas, including B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J categories. These visa types are the most commonly used by Nigerians for business, tourism, academic study, vocational training, and exchange programmes. The restrictions are scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026.

In a statement issued on Monday, the US embassy clarified that the proclamation does not apply to certain categories of travelers. These include immigrants from ethnic or religious minorities facing persecution in Iran, dual nationals traveling on passports from countries not subject to the suspension, beneficiaries of special immigrant visas for US government employees, participants in select major international sporting events, and lawful permanent residents of the United States.

The embassy further explained that the restrictions only apply to foreign nationals who are outside the United States on the effective date and who do not hold a valid visa at that time. It emphasized that visas issued before the effective date will not be affected.

“No visas issued before January 1, 2026, at 12:01 a.m. EST, have been or will be revoked pursuant to the proclamation,” the embassy stated.

It added that individuals affected by the proclamation may still submit visa applications and attend scheduled interviews, but they may ultimately be found ineligible for visa issuance or admission into the United States under the new rules.