The United States will partially suspend visa issuance for nationals of Nigeria and eighteen other countries starting January 1, 2026. The policy is part of a broader presidential proclamation that expands travel restrictions to thirty-nine nations for security reasons.
The U.S. Department of State announced the change on December 19, 2025. It follows Presidential Proclamation 10998, signed on December 16. The new rules take effect at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on the first day of 2026.
For Nigeria and the other eighteen nations, the suspension applies to specific visas. These are visitor visas for business and tourism, known as B-1 and B-2 visas. It also includes student visas (F and M) and exchange visitor visas (J). The U.S. will also stop issuing all immigrant visas, which are for permanent residence, to nationals of these countries.
The other countries facing this partial ban are Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Venezuela, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Fourteen of the nineteen countries are in Africa.
The U.S. government states the restrictions only affect people outside the country without a valid visa on the effective date. Anyone who already holds a valid U.S. visa will not lose it. The U.S. Embassy in Nigeria confirmed visas issued before January 1, 2026, will not be revoked. Applicants may still apply and attend interviews but could be denied based on the new rules.
The same presidential action imposes a stricter, full travel ban on nineteen other countries. For these nations, entry is suspended for both immigrants and all nonimmigrant visa holders. This list includes the twelve countries already under a full ban from a previous June 2025 order. Those countries are Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
Seven new countries are added to the full ban list. They are Burkina Faso, Laos, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, and Syria. The order also restricts individuals using travel documents issued by the Palestinian Authority.
The White House published a fact sheet explaining the reasons for the restrictions. It cites concerns about screening and vetting information from the affected countries. Officials point to issues like fraudulent documents, unreliable criminal records, and high visa overstay rates.
For example, the fact sheet states that terrorist groups operate freely in parts of Nigeria and Mali, making vetting difficult. It notes that Laos had a tourist visa overstay rate of 28.34 percent. The policy also targets countries with "Citizenship by Investment" programs, which the U.S. says can be used to evade travel bans.
There are several exemptions to the bans. Lawful permanent residents of the U.S. are not affected. Dual nationals may apply using a passport from a country not on the list. Other exceptions include certain diplomats, athletes in major events like the 2026 World Cup, and Special Immigrant Visas for U.S. government employees.
However, the new proclamation narrows some exceptions from the previous June 2025 order. It removes broad categorical exceptions for immediate family and adoption immigrant visas. The White House says this is to prevent exploitation, noting that family ties can be used for fraudulent activity.
The December 2025 proclamation modifies an earlier one from June 4, 2025. That earlier order, Proclamation 10949, first restored and updated travel restrictions from a previous administration. The latest action significantly expands the number of affected countries.
For Nigeria, this follows other recent changes to U.S. visa policy. In July 2025, the U.S. reduced most non-immigrant visas for Nigerians to single-entry with three-month validity. This was described as a reciprocal measure based on Nigeria's own visa policies for Americans.
The U.S. Embassy states it is working with the Nigerian government on issues like secure travel documents and information sharing. The new travel restrictions are framed as a security measure to encourage better cooperation from foreign governments.