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By Safiyat Muhammed – Abuja | July 9, 2025
In a major development affecting international travel, the United States has drastically reduced the validity and entry privileges of most non-immigrant visas issued to Nigerian citizens, the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria announced on Tuesday.
Under the new directive, most affected visa categories will now be limited to a single entry and a three-month validity period, a significant shift from previous arrangements that offered multiple entries and longer durations.
The policy takes immediate effect from July 8, 2025, but the U.S. Embassy clarified that visas issued prior to the effective date will retain their original validity and entry terms.
Why the Change?
The U.S. Embassy said the move is part of a global visa reciprocity review, a policy framework aimed at ensuring U.S. citizens are granted similar visa treatment in other countries.
“The U.S. Mission is working with the Government of Nigeria to ensure that Nigeria can meet the criteria,” the statement read.
According to the embassy, Nigeria must meet certain benchmarks to restore or improve its visa reciprocity status. These include:
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Issuance of secure travel documents with verifiable biometric identity features
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Implementation of systems to track visa overstays
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Improved information-sharing on security and criminal records with U.S. authorities
Ongoing Evaluation
The U.S. noted that visa policy for Nigeria will be subject to regular review, and adjustments could be made depending on Nigeria’s progress in fulfilling the required conditions.
The changes come at a time when bilateral relations between the two countries remain strong but are being recalibrated in areas of immigration, security, and global mobility.
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