The United States has imposed new partial travel restrictions on Nigerians after official data showed notable visa overstay rates, as President Donald Trump approved a sweeping proclamation expanding entry limits on nationals from dozens of countries identified as posing immigration and security concerns.
A White House fact sheet released Tuesday said Nigeria recorded a B-1/B-2 business and tourist visa overstay rate of 5.56 per cent, alongside an 11.90 per cent overstay rate for student, vocational and exchange visitor visas. U.S. authorities said the figures, combined with ongoing security challenges linked to extremist violence in parts of the country, informed the decision to place Nigeria under partial suspension, affecting selected immigrant and non-immigrant visa categories.
Beyond Nigeria, the proclamation cited sharply higher overstay figures in several other African and developing countries now subject to either full or partial entry restrictions. Sierra Leone, which was moved from partial to full suspension, recorded a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 16.48 per cent, while its student and exchange visitor overstay rate stood at 35.83 per cent. U.S. officials also noted that Freetown has historically failed to accept back nationals ordered removed from the United States.
Burkina Faso, newly added to the full suspension list, was reported to have a B-1/B-2 overstay rate of 9.16 per cent and a significantly higher 22.95 per cent overstay rate among student and exchange visitors. The White House said persistent terrorist activity and refusal to repatriate removable nationals further justified the tougher measures.
In Mali and Niger, where armed conflict and extremist activity remain widespread, the administration pointed to both security risks and immigration data. Niger’s B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate was placed at 13.41 per cent, while its student and exchange visitor overstay rate reached 16.46 per cent, figures the White House said demonstrate weak compliance with U.S. immigration laws.
South Sudan, another country placed under full suspension, recorded a 6.99 per cent overstay rate for B-1/B-2 visas and a much higher 26.09 per cent rate for F, M and J visas. U.S. authorities again cited the country’s long-standing failure to accept back deported nationals as a major concern.
Among countries facing partial suspensions alongside Nigeria, Angola was reported to have a 14.43 per cent B-1/B-2 overstay rate and a 21.92 per cent overstay rate for student and exchange visas. Benin’s figures stood at 12.34 per cent for B-1/B-2 visas and 36.77 per cent for F, M and J visas, while The Gambia recorded 12.70 per cent and 38.79 per cent respectively, one of the highest student overstay rates listed in the report.
Malawi also featured prominently, with U.S. data showing a 22.45 per cent overstay rate among business and tourist visa holders and a 31.99 per cent rate for students and exchange visitors. Zambia’s overstay rates were placed at 10.73 per cent for B-1/B-2 visas and 21.02 per cent for F, M and J visas, while Zimbabwe recorded 7.89 per cent and 15.15 per cent respectively.
Asian and Caribbean nations were also affected. Laos, now under full suspension, posted a B-1/B-2 overstay rate of 28.34 per cent and a student and exchange visitor overstay rate of 11.41 per cent, according to the most recent U.S. report.
Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica were cited not primarily for overstay figures but for operating citizenship-by-investment programmes without residency requirements, which U.S. officials said complicate identity verification.
The White House said the restrictions are designed to be country-specific and reversible, encouraging affected governments to improve information sharing, strengthen civil documentation systems and reduce visa overstay rates.
Exemptions remain in place for lawful permanent residents, existing visa holders, diplomats and individuals whose entry serves U.S. national interests, with case-by-case waivers also предусмотрed.
President Trump said the measures build on travel restrictions introduced during his first term and upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that high overstay rates and weak cooperation from foreign governments place an undue burden on American enforcement resources.
The administration said countries that demonstrate sustained improvements could see the restrictions eased following future reviews.
Credit: News Express
