The United States Department of State on Tuesday announced updates to its reciprocal non-immigrant visa policy, impacting several countries, including Nigeria.
In a statement on Tuesday, the US Embassy in Nigeria said 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, however, said that those US non-immigrant visas issued before July 8, 2025, will retain their status and validity.
The US was earlier considering imposing a visa ban on Nigeria.
“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,” the statement published on its website said.
The US visa criteria and standards are designed to protect the integrity of US immigration systems, it stressed, adding, “These standards are based on global technical and security benchmarks.
It said that the US Mission was working with the Government of Nigeria to ensure that Nigeria could meet the criteria.
“Nigerian travellers are encouraged to respect and adhere to the terms of their visas, and ensure travel documents are authentic, accurate, and up to date,” it said.
