The U.S. Department of State has introduced new visa rules for Nigerian citizens, limiting non-immigrant and non-diplomatic visas to single-entry with a three-month validity period.
The change, effective July 8, 2025, aimed to align with global visa standards and protect the integrity of the U.S. immigration system.
In a statement on Tuesday, the U.S. Mission in Nigeria said the move aligned with the Donald Trump administration’s 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 statement read.
The mission said U.S. non-immigrant visas issued before July 8, 2025, would retain their status and validity.
“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 said.
The mission said that U.S. visa criteria and standards were designed to protect the integrity of the US 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 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.
“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 added.
The mission encouraged Nigerian travelers to respect and adhere to the terms of their visas and ensure travel documents were authentic, accurate, and up to date.
