U.S. Warns Nigerians: Visa Overstays Could Jeopardise Travel Opportunities for Others
- Ajibade Omolade Chistianah
- 13 hours ago
- 1 min read
The United States government has renewed its warning to Nigerian travellers, cautioning that visa overstays could undermine travel opportunities for other Nigerians seeking entry for education, business, or family visits.
In a statement issued on Monday, the U.S. Mission in Nigeria stressed that failure to comply with visa conditions has wider consequences beyond individual offenders, noting that such actions negatively affect the credibility of Nigerian applicants as a whole.
According to the mission, strict adherence to visa rules is critical to maintaining access for Nigerians who travel responsibly. It added that compliance helps safeguard opportunities for students, entrepreneurs, and families with legitimate reasons to visit the United States.
The warning comes amid an ongoing suspension of non-immigrant visa processing for certain categories of Nigerian applicants, limiting access for those intending to travel for tourism, study, or short-term business engagements.
In December 2025, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump announced restrictions on non-immigrant visas for Nigerians under categories including B1, B2, F, J, and M. The decision was linked to concerns over visa overstays and gaps in security screening processes.
U.S. authorities have consistently maintained that high overstay rates pose immigration and national security risks, prompting stricter controls on countries flagged for non-compliance.
Despite the restrictions, Nigeria has continued to engage with the United States on broader security cooperation, particularly in efforts to combat extremist violence and improve regional stability.
The U.S. Mission reiterated that improved compliance and cooperation could play a role in restoring broader travel access in the future, urging Nigerian travellers to respect the terms of their visas.
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