US partially suspends visa issuance to Nigerians from Jan. 1, 2026

Barely 24 hours after recalling its Ambassador to Nigeria, the United States has announced that it is partially suspending the issuance of visas to nationals of Nigeria and 18 other countries from January 1, 2026.

The US State Department had on Monday, announced the immediate recall of its Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills, along with several other diplomats in 12 other countries including Burundi, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, and Uganda, and others from the Asian-Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, South Asia, and the Western Hemisphere.

In the new development announced on the official X account of the U.S. Mission in Nigeria on Monday, the Department of State said the suspension is under Presidential Proclamation 10998, affecting B-1/B-2 visitor, F/M/J student/exchange, and most immigrant visas while exempting persecuted minorities, dual nationals, and certain special cases.

“Effective January 1, 2026, at 12:01 a.m. EST, in line with Presidential Proclamation 10998 on “Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States,” the Department of State is partially suspending visa issuance to nationals of 19 countries.”

According to the announcement, 19 other countries are also affected by the visa suspension including nationals from Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Cote D’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, ” for nonimmigrant B-1/B-2 visitor visas and F, M, J student and exchange visitor visas, and all immigrant visas.”

According to the gazette, the proclamation imposes a partial suspension on the issuance of nonimmigrant B-1/B-2 visitor visas, as well as F, M, and J student and exchange visitor visas and also applies to immigrant visas, with limited exceptions.

The statement however provided a proviso:

“Exemptions include: Immigrant visas for ethnic and religious minorities facing persecution in Iran, Dual nationals applying with a passport from a country not affected by the suspension, Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) for eligible US government employees, Participants in certain major international sporting events and Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs).”

It added that the suspension applies only to foreign nationals outside the United States on the effective date who do not hold a valid US visa at that time.

“Foreign nationals, even those outside the United States, who hold valid visas as of the effective date are not subject to Presidential Proclamation 10998. No visas issued before January 1, 2026, at 12:01 a.m. EST, have been or will be revoked pursuant to the Proclamation,” the statement read.

The Department added that visa applicants from Nigeria may still submit applications and attend interviews, but may be ineligible for visa issuance or admission to the United States under the new rules.

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