The United States has changed its visa policy for Nigerians, reducing the length and number of entries allowed for most non-immigrant visas. According to the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria, Nigerians applying for visas from July 8, 2025, will now get a visa that is valid for only three months and can only be used once to enter the U.S. This is a big change from the earlier policy that allowed Nigerians to get multiple-entry visas that lasted for a longer time.

The Embassy also explained that this change will not affect people who already have valid visas. Those visas will still work with the same terms they were given under. Only new visa applications from July 8, 2025, onward will be under the new rule.

The reason for this decision is based on something the U.S. calls a global visa reciprocity review. This means that the U.S. wants to make sure its own citizens are treated fairly when they visit other countries. If Americans get shorter visas in Nigeria, then Nigerians will get similar treatment when applying to visit the U.S.

To return to the old visa arrangement, Nigeria must meet some specific conditions. These include giving out more secure passports that carry biometric data, setting up systems to keep track of people who overstay their visas, and improving how Nigeria shares criminal and security information with U.S. authorities.

The U.S. government said it will continue to review Nigeria’s progress and make updates to the visa policy when needed. If Nigeria improves in these areas, there is a chance the U.S. may extend visa validity and allow multiple entries again.

Although this new policy may be seen as strict, the U.S. mentioned that it still values its relationship with Nigeria. Both countries are working on making their systems stronger, especially in areas like immigration, travel, and national security.