The USA Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills, has clarified that the current visa restrictions introduced by the U.S. authorities are geared toward strengthening safety procedures and should not focused at Nigerians.
Mills made the clarification on Sunday in Abuja throughout a information convention held as a part of the go to of a United States Congressional Delegation to Nigeria.
In response to the Ambassador, the presidential proclamation, which is scheduled to take impact from January 1, 2026, impacts sure visa classes and types a part of wider efforts to safe U.S. borders and defend American communities.
Mills defined that the overview focuses on making certain correct vetting and the provision of credible info through the visa software course of, slightly than penalising Nigerian candidates.
“The main focus of the visa overview is on making certain correct vetting and credible info within the visa course of, not on penalising Nigerians,” Mills stated.
He additionally suggested these with particular enquiries to make use of the embassy’s designated communication channels for additional steerage.
Additionally talking on the occasion, the chief of the U.S. Congressional Delegation, Consultant Invoice Huizenga, stated visa critiques and restrictions are routine instruments used to encourage compliance and cooperation, slightly than punitive measures towards residents.
Huizenga defined that such actions are sometimes directed at authorities programs and processes, not on the folks of a rustic.
He added that related visa critiques are utilized in several areas world wide.
The U.S. authorities reaffirmed its dedication to robust people-to-people ties with Nigeria whereas asserting the visa critiques and restrictions.
It described the measures as a part of broader engagement geared toward strengthening bilateral cooperation and addressing shared safety issues.
Final week, america formally added Nigeria to a brand new record of nations going through journey restrictions, following a presidential proclamation signed by President Donald Trump as a part of a renewed push to tighten U.S. border controls and nationwide safety screening.
The proclamation, which the White Home stated was primarily based on “data-driven assessments of safety, vetting, and immigration compliance dangers,” locations Nigeria below partial journey restrictions, affecting each immigrant and chosen non-immigrant visa classes.
With that, Nigeria joins 14 different international locations below partial suspension, whereas a number of African and non-African international locations face both full bans or continued restrictions.
