The United States Government, has introduced new visa regulations for Nigerians seeking to travel under non-immigrant and non-diplomatic categories.
According to a notice published on the U.S. Embassy’s website on July 8, Nigerian applicants will now be issued single-entry visas valid for only three months. This marks a significant change from the previous policy where eligible Nigerians could receive multiple-entry visas valid for up to five years.
The U.S. authorities explained that the decision is part of a broader review of visa reciprocity policies, which allow countries to align their visa terms with what is offered to their own citizens by other countries.
“As is standard globally, visa reciprocity is a continuous process and is subject to review and change at any time, such as increasing or decreasing permitted entries and duration of validity,” the Embassy said in a statement.
Meanwhile, a senior official of Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs told local media that the country has no policy in place that restricts U.S. citizens from entering Nigeria.
In a related development, the U.S. Government under President Donald Trump has signed a directive banning citizens from 12 countries—including seven African nations—from entering the United States. Nigeria is not currently on that list.
However, a memo released in June indicated that the U.S. is considering expanding the travel ban to include 36 additional countries, Nigeria among them. This proposal has not yet been made official.
In 2024, Nigerians accounted for nearly 20 percent of all non-immigrant visas issued to Africans by the U.S. government, according to figures from the State Department.
