The United States government has implemented stricter visa regulations for Nigerian citizens, reducing most non-immigrant visas to single-entry status with a validity period of just three months, effective July 8, 2025.
This significant policy shift comes as a reciprocal measure in response to Nigeria's own short-term visa policies toward American citizens, according to an official statement released by the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria on Tuesday.
The statement clarified: "The United States Department of State has announced updates to its reciprocal non-immigrant visa policy, impacting 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 embassy assured that U.S. non-immigrant visas issued before the July 8 implementation date would maintain their original status and validity period, meaning Nigerians with existing multiple-entry visas will not be affected by the new restrictions.
The statement further emphasized that visa reciprocity is a standard global practice subject to continuous review: "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."
This development represents a significant change for Nigerian travelers to the United States, who previously could obtain multiple-entry visas with validity periods of up to two years or more, depending on the visa category.
The new restrictions primarily affect non-immigrant visa categories, including B1/B2 visas for tourism and business travel, which are among the most commonly sought visa types by Nigerians planning to visit the United States.
This policy adjustment comes amid ongoing diplomatic discussions between Nigeria and the United States on various bilateral issues, including trade, security cooperation, and immigration policies.
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