The United States of America has offered the reason it restricted Nigeria’s non-immigrant visas to three months and single entry.
The reason was offered in a statement obtained by The Eagle Online on Tuesday as the United States Department of State announced the development.
According to the statement which announced the development on Tuesday, it was an update to its reciprocal non-immigrant visa policy, impacting several countries, including Nigeria.
According to the statement, the move, which became effective immediately and affects most non-immigrant and non-diplomatic visas issued to citizens of Nigeria and some other countries.
It, however, said non-immigrant visas issued prior to July 8, 2025 will retain their status and validity.
The statement said: “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.
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“You can view the latest information on visa reciprocity schedules for all countries at travel.state.gov.”
In simple terms, the statement suggested that Nigeria also issues three months single entry visas to Americans.
Before the US increased its visa validity to Nigerians to five years, the maximum used to be two years.
It could also be as low as three months then.
The statement on Tuesday further explained: “U.S. visa criteria and standards are designed to protect the integrity of U.S. immigration systems.
“These standards are based on global technical and security benchmarks.
“The U.S. Mission is working with the Government of Nigeria to ensure that Nigeria can meet the criteria.
“Examples of standard criteria include:
“Secure Travel Documents: Ensuring countries issue secure travel documents with verified traveler identities.
“Visa Overstay Management: Implementing measures to limit overstays by travelers on U.S. visas.
“Information Sharing: Sharing relevant security and/or criminal record information to protect public safety.
“The United States values its longstanding relationship with Nigeria and remains committed to expanding our partnership based on mutual respect, shared security priorities, and economic opportunity, keeping both our countries safer and stronger.
“We commend the ongoing efforts by the Government of Nigeria’s immigration and security agencies to meet standards of international best practices.
“We continue to engage with Nigerian government officials to address the remaining challenges.
“Nigerian travelers are encouraged to respect and adhere to the terms of their visas, and ensure travel documents are authentic, accurate, and up to date.
“The United States remains a committed partner in deepening people-to-people ties with Nigeria via business, educational, and cultural exchanges.
“We look forward to continued cooperation at all levels with the Nigerian public and government officials to ensure safe and lawful travel between the United States and all countries.”
