The majority of non-immigrant visas granted to Nigerian citizens now have shorter validity periods and access restrictions, according to a significant change in US visa policy.
The US embassy in Nigeria announced in a statement on Tuesday that the majority of the non-immigrant visa will now only be good for one entry and have a three-month validity period. The modification is effective immediately.
However, the embassy stated that visas granted prior to July 8 will still be valid according to their original conditions.
It stated that the change is a component of its global visa reciprocity process, which aims to match its visa regulations with those of other nations that treat its own citizens.
According to the US embassy, the policy is regularly reviewed and could lead to changes in entry restrictions or visa validity. It pointed out that in order to improve its visa reciprocity standing, Nigeria still needs to fulfill a number of requirements, such as providing safe travel documents with authenticated identities, efficiently handling visa overstays, and providing pertinent security and criminal background data to US authorities.
According to the statement, “The U.S. Mission is working with the Government of Nigeria to ensure that Nigeria can meet the criteria”.
The United States reaffirmed its commitment to upholding close ties with Nigeria in spite of the tightening of visa requirements.
All candidates for F, M, and J non-immigrant visas were previously asked to change their social media privacy settings to public by the embassy. Anyone looking to study in the US or take part in academic and vocational exchange programs is subject to the order.
The notice states that the measure is a component of increased vetting procedures designed to confirm applicants’ identities and eligibility under US law.
