Nigeria: US pauses visas for citizens of Nigeria, 74 other countries
By Zuleihat Owuiye, Mamos Nigeria
The United States has paused visa processing for citizens of Nigeria and 74 other countries, effective January 21, as it reviews screening and vetting procedures. This move aims to tighten enforcement of public charge rules, preventing migrants likely to depend on public benefits from entering the country.
The State Department memo directs consular officers to assess applicants’ likelihood of becoming a public charge, considering factors like age, health, English language ability, financial resources, and need for long-term medical care. Exemptions will be limited, granted only to applicants meeting public charge requirements after further review.
Affected countries include Nigeria, Somalia, Russia, Afghanistan, Brazil, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Thailand, and Yemen, though the full list isn’t officially released. Applicants are advised to monitor (link unavailable) for updates. This pause follows a January 1 presidential proclamation suspending visa issuance for 39 countries over national security concerns.
