U.S. blames visa overstays, Nigeria promises to clean up records

President Bola Tinubu has instructed all Nigerian government agencies to fully follow international rules after the United States changed its visa policy for Nigerians.

The new U.S. visa rules say that most non-diplomatic, non-immigrant visas for Nigerians will now only last three months and will allow just one entry into the country. This change started immediately.

The U.S. Embassy in Nigeria explained that any visas issued before July 8, 2025, will stay valid. They also said that visa rules are regularly reviewed and can be changed at any time.

According to a statement from Tinubu’s spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, the U.S. government said the new policy is based on two main reasons:

A high number of Nigerian citizens overstaying their visas.

The need for better access to Nigerians’ identity records.

The U.S. also said this change is part of its global visa reciprocity process, which checks whether other countries treat U.S. citizens fairly when issuing visas.

In response, President Tinubu told Nigerian agencies to:

• Respect all international agreements,
• Improve cooperation with other countries to confirm the identities of Nigerians applying for consular services.

He also advised Nigerians living abroad to follow the immigration laws of their host countries and protect the rights and benefits they receive there.

As for reports about the United Arab Emirates (UAE) changing its visa policy, the Nigerian government said it hasn’t received any official notice yet. However, it noted that visa processing for Nigerians in the UAE is gradually moving forward.