The United States has partially suspended certain visas for nationals from Nigeria and 14 other countries due to security concerns involving groups like Boko Haram and the Islamic State. President Donald J. Trump signed a proclamation on Monday to expand entry restrictions based on vetting deficiencies. The measure includes exceptions for permanent residents and specific categories while maintaining full bans on high-risk nations.
President Donald J. Trump signed a proclamation on Monday to strengthen entry restrictions on nationals from countries with significant shortcomings in screening and information-sharing practices. This action partially suspends the issuance of immigrant and non-immigrant visas, specifically B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas, for Nigeria and 14 other nations. The U.S. government cited ongoing threats from radical Islamic terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State, which operate in parts of West Africa, including Nigeria.
The decision draws on data from the Overstay Report, highlighting Nigeria's B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 5.56 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 11.90 percent. Exceptions apply to lawful permanent residents, holders of existing visas, athletes, diplomats, and individuals whose entry aligns with U.S. national interests. The proclamation also narrows certain family-based immigrant visas prone to fraud but allows case-by-case waivers.
This builds on prior policies, continuing full restrictions from Proclamation 10949 on 12 countries: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. It adds complete bans for five more: Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, and Syria, following recent assessments.
In October 2025, Trump redesignated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern for the persecution of Christians by violent Islamic groups. Echoing his first-term approach, which the Supreme Court upheld as within presidential authority to enhance vetting and security, Trump restored these measures in June 2025 after updating global risk evaluations. Recently, he has used strong rhetoric against immigrants from certain African nations, referring to them as originating from 'shithole countries' at a rally and posting on Truth Social about potentially halting U.S. aid to Nigeria and intervening militarily against threats to Christians.
