The United States government has revised its visa policy for Nigerian nationals, limiting the issuance of non-immigrant and non-diplomatic visas to single-entry access valid for three months.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the U.S. Mission in Nigeria confirmed that the new directive takes immediate effect and aligns with the Donald Trump administration’s reciprocal visa framework, which affects several countries including Nigeria.
“Effective immediately, most non-immigrant and non-diplomatic visas issued to citizens of Nigeria will be single-entry visas with a three-month validity period,” the statement read.
According to the mission, non-immigrant visas granted prior to July 8, 2025, will remain valid and unaffected by the new policy.
“We wish to underscore that, 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,” it added.
The U.S. clarified that visa eligibility criteria are built upon global security and technical standards to uphold the integrity of its immigration system.
“These standards are based on global technical and security benchmarks. The U.S. Mission is working with the Government of Nigeria to ensure that Nigeria can meet the criteria,” the statement explained.
While reiterating the importance of strong bilateral relations, the U.S. Mission affirmed its dedication to enhancing cooperation with Nigeria in areas of mutual interest.
“The United States values its longstanding relationship with Nigeria and remains committed to expanding our partnership based on mutual respect, shared security priorities, and economic opportunity, keeping both our countries safer and stronger,” the mission stated.
It also praised Nigeria’s ongoing reforms in immigration and security management.
“We commend the ongoing efforts by the Government of Nigeria’s immigration and security agencies to meet standards of international best practices. We continue to engage with Nigerian government officials to address the remaining challenges,” the statement noted.
The U.S. Mission advised Nigerian travelers to comply strictly with visa regulations and ensure the authenticity and accuracy of their travel documentation.
“We encourage Nigerian travelers to respect and adhere to the terms of their visas and ensure travel documents are authentic, accurate, and up to date,” it concluded.
