Why We Reduced Visa Validity For Nigerians” – U.S. Embassy
The United States embassy in Nigeria has clarified why it recently reduced the validity of visas for Nigerian non-immigrant applicants from five years to just three months.
While many assumed this was a response to actions taken by the Nigerian government such as rejecting U.S. pressure to accept deported Venezuelans, or Nigeria’s interest in groups like BRICS, the embassy says that’s not the case.
In a statement posted on Friday via its official X (formerly Twitter) account, the U.S. Mission explained that the decision is part of a global review process aimed at tightening U.S. immigration policies.
According to the embassy, the change has nothing to do with political retaliation or Nigeria’s internal decisions.
Rather, it is based on technical and security standards used to evaluate how other countries utilise U.S. visas.
“The U.S. Mission Nigeria wishes to address misconceptions about the recent reduction in visa validity for most nonimmigrant U.S. visas in Nigeria and other countries,” the embassy stated.
“This reduction is not the result of any nation’s stance on third-country deportees, introduction of e-visa policies, or affiliations with groups like BRICS.”
They explained that the review is meant to protect the U.S. immigration system and ensure safer and more secure travel processes.
Despite the change, the embassy assured that the United States values its strong relationship with Nigeria and is committed to working with both Nigerian officials and the public to meet the necessary benchmarks.
Earlier in the week, the Nigerian government had expressed concerns over the visa policy change, questioning the reasoning behind it and suggesting that the action was unwarranted.
However, the U.S. insists the move is purely administrative and part of a wider international review.
