As part of ongoing efforts by the administration to tighten U.S. entry standards for travel and immigration, the U.S. government under President Donald Trump issued an expanded travel restriction policy that affects Nigeria among other countries.
According to www.whitehouse.gov and related fact sheets:
Partial Suspension of Entry for Citizens of Nigeria:
The U.S. has suspended the entry into the United States of Nigerian nationals applying for immigrant visas (including family- and employment-based paths) and several nonimmigrant visas — specifically:
- B-1 (Business)
- B-2 (Tourism)
- B-1/B-2 (Visitor)
- F (Student)
- M (Vocational/Non-Academic)
- J (Exchange Visitor)
This means that, effective under the proclamation, these visa categories are no longer available or are dramatically restricted for Nigerian passport holders.
The White House fact sheet identifies security and administrative concerns as the basis for the action:
- Significant difficulties with screening and vetting due to the presence of extremist and terrorist groups in parts of Nigeria (including Boko Haram and Islamic State affiliates).
- Relatively high visa overstay rates in certain categories, according to U.S. Department of State metrics.
The Trump administration also said consular officers in Nigeria have been instructed to “reduce the validity for any other nonimmigrant visa issued to nationals of Nigeria to the extent permitted by law.” The restrictions come weeks after the US designated Nigeria a ‘Country of Particular Concern,’ after Mr Trump accused Nigeria of supporting Islamic extremists persecuting Christians in Nigeria. The Nigerian government denied the accusation, saying the security crisis in the country was more complex.
Meanwhile, the proclamation imposed restrictions on 14 other countries. The proclamation added 15 countries to the seven countries that had been placed under partial restrictions in June. The other newly added countries are Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
The new ban will take effect on 1 January, according to the proclamation. Also, it applies only to foreign nationals outside the United States who do not have a valid visa on the effective date of the proclamation.
“The restrictions and limitations imposed by this proclamation are necessary: to garner cooperation from foreign governments, including as to reducing overstay rates of their nationals; enforce our immigration laws; and advance other important foreign policy, national security, and counterterrorism objectives,” the proclamation read.
The Trump administration also cited a high rate of nationals from these countries overstaying their visas as the reason for the restriction. However, lawful permanent residents, diplomatic visas, athletes for major events, and certain special immigrant visas were granted an exemption. The US also granted an exemption to persecuted ethnic and religious minorities from Iran. However, new visa applicants in these countries will not currently be allowed to enter the US.
In addition to the partial restrictions, the US imposed a total travel ban on Burkina Faso, Chad, Niger, Syria and Sudan. The administration said the countries were subject to full bans because of concerns over fraudulent or unreliable civil documents, weak criminal record systems, corruption and instability that complicate vetting processes. The proclamation also announced a ban on holders of passports issued by the Palestinian Authority, citing the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and the presence of Hamas in Palestinian population centres.
