New US Visa Policy Sparks Outrage As Nigeria, 37 Countries Face Tougher Entry Barriers

The measure, which further strengthens entry requirements for visitors, comes just days after the United States announced partial travel restrictions on Nigeria and several other countries.

Visa bonds serve as financial guarantees imposed on applicants from countries deemed “high-risk,” aimed at ensuring strict compliance with visa terms, particularly departure from the US at the end of the approved stay.

Information published on the Department of State’s official website, Travel.State.Gov, notes that paying a visa bond without direct instruction from a consular officer does not assure visa approval and such payments are non-refundable.

Nigeria, 23 Other African Countries Affected

Out of the 38 countries listed under the new policy, 24 are African, including Nigeria, according to the updated list released on Tuesday, January 6.

The Department explained that nationals from these countries have been identified as requiring visa bonds, with specific start dates assigned to each nation.

Affected countries include Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Mauritania, Namibia and Nepal.

Others are Nigeria, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

For Nigeria, the US cited security concerns, including the presence of extremist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State in certain regions, which it said have created “significant screening and vetting challenges” for visa applicants.

Nigeria’s implementation date has been set for January 21, 2026.

Overstay Concerns

The US also pointed to visa overstay statistics as a justification for Nigeria’s inclusion. According to the Department, Nigeria recorded overstay rates of 5.56 per cent for B1/B2 visas and 11.90 per cent for F, M and J student and exchange visas.

Consequently, the restrictions affect both immigrant visas and several non-immigrant categories, including B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M and J visas.

The directive states that any eligible applicant from the listed countries must post a bond of $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000, with the exact amount determined during the visa interview.

Applicants will also be required to complete the Department of Homeland Security’s Form I-352 and accept the bond terms via the US Department of the Treasury’s Pay.gov platform.

The bond requirement applies regardless of where the visa application is filed.

Visa holders who pay the bond must enter the United States through designated airports, including Boston Logan International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, and Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia.

The Department clarified that bond refunds will only be issued if the Department of Homeland Security confirms the traveller’s departure on or before the authorised stay expires, if the visa holder does not travel before the visa expires, or if entry is denied at a US port of entry.

Nigeria was also among 15 mostly African countries placed under partial US travel suspensions on December 16, further highlighting the tightening of American immigration and travel policies toward the affected nations.