The US government has suspended immigrant visa processing for Nigerians, marking the latest in a series of travel restrictions targeting the country.
This means Nigerians seeking to travel to the United States will temporarily be unable to submit or process immigration visa applications.
The suspension also affects Russia, Somalia, Brazil, Afghanistan, and several other countries.
According to Fox News, a memo from the US State Department shows that the order affects applicants from 75 countries in total.
The directive, issued in November, is aimed at tightening regulations on potential immigrants the administration considers likely to become “public charges” in the United States.
A State Department spokesperson, Tommy Piggott, said:
“The State Department will use its long-standing authority to deem ineligible potential immigrants who would become a public charge in the United States and exploit the generosity of the American people.
Immigration from these 75 countries will be paused while the State Department reassesses immigration processing procedures to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would take welfare and public benefits.”
The visa processing suspension is scheduled to take effect on 21 January.
In addition, the US recently introduced a policy requiring Nigerians applying for B1/B2 visas to post bonds of up to $15,000, which will also take effect on the same date.
Last month, the US further barred entry for Nigerians seeking to enter as green card holders or on B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas.
The government cited high rates of visa overstays and security concerns as reasons for the restrictions.
These measures form part of a broader policy that includes partial and full travel bans on several African, Latin American, and Asian countries.
The latest suspension highlights the growing challenges Nigerians face in securing US visas, as the government continues to tighten immigration regulations.
Affected applicants are advised to monitor updates from the US State Department ahead of the 21 January implementation date.