Moving to the USA from Nigeria: Travel Ban Rules, Visas and Green Cards in 2026

Nigeria is on the partial restriction list of Proclamation 10998, which took effect on January 1, 2026 and has no end date. For Nigerian nationals this means:

• Immigrant visas (family and employment green cards processed abroad) are suspended.
• Visitor (B-1, B-2), student (F, M), and exchange (J) visas are suspended.
• Other nonimmigrant visas, such as H-1B, L-1, and O-1 work visas, are not suspended, but consular officers are told to reduce how long they are valid.
• USCIS is holding final decisions on many pending applications from nationals of travel-ban countries for extra review.

The exceptions are narrow. They include green card holders, dual nationals traveling on a passport of a country that is not on the list, certain diplomatic and international organization visas, and athletes and coaches traveling for major events such as the World Cup or Olympics. There is no general exception for spouses or children of US citizens. Visas issued before the ban took effect were not revoked.

Other 2026 measures also apply to Nigerians: Nigeria was placed on the visa bond list for B-1/B-2 visas on January 21, 2026, and it was on the January 2026 list of 75 countries with paused immigrant visas (vacated by a court on August 21, 2026; the government has appealed). Since August 25, 2026, the State Department has paused immigrant visa interviews at US embassies and consulates worldwide while consular officers are trained on public charge reviews. Scheduled interviews were moved to later dates, and no restart date has been announced as of September 2026. Visitor, student, and temporary work visas are not part of this pause. Details: immigrant visa pause.

While the partial ban lasts, the realistic routes for Nigerian nationals are employer-sponsored and talent-based temporary visas:

Petitions can still be filed. US citizens and green card holders can still file I-130 petitions for Nigerian relatives, and employers can file I-140s, to lock in a priority date for later. See priority dates.

Nigerian students already in the US keep their status while they follow the rules, but may not be able to get a new F-1 visa if they travel. Talk to your school's international office before leaving the US. Since September 15, 2026, new F-1 students are admitted until a fixed date instead of for "duration of status", so you may need to file for an extension if your program runs longer. See F-1 fixed admission period.

For an overview of every route, see our guide to US immigration and how US immigration works.

Not under normal rules while the partial ban lasts. Nigeria is not in the Visa Waiver Program, and B-1/B-2 visitor visas for Nigerian nationals are suspended unless an exception applies. A valid visitor visa issued before January 1, 2026 was not revoked, but US Customs and Border Protection still decides each entry. Check the embassy website before any travel.

Family. Family immigration has been the main route for Nigerians. Spouses, unmarried children under 21, and parents of US citizens have no annual cap, and other relatives wait in the F1 to F4 lines of the Visa Bulletin using rest-of-world dates. While the ban lasts, the immigrant visa itself generally cannot be issued.

Employment. Nigerian nurses, doctors, and engineers have used EB-3 and the EB-2 NIW. Petitions can still be approved, but the visa step is suspended abroad. People already in the US in valid status who qualify to adjust status should expect USCIS holds and should get legal advice.

Diversity Visa. Nigerian natives were not eligible for DV-2026 because more than 50,000 Nigerians immigrated to the US in the previous five years. The Diversity Visa (DV) lottery is paused: visa issuance stopped on December 23, 2025, and DV-2027 registration never opened. See DV lottery paused.

All interviews are by appointment. Book through the embassy's website and see our visa interview guide. Be very careful of agents who promise visas despite the ban; see scam protection.

If you qualify for an exception or are preparing a future case, the State Department's Nigeria page lists:

• Police certificate: a Police Character Certificate from the Nigeria Police Force, if you are over 16 and lived in Nigeria for 6 months. Apply online through the POSSAP portal or in person at the Criminal Investigation Department. For immigrant visas it is valid for two years.
• Birth certificate: a Certificate of Birth from the National Population Commission (NPC). People born before 1979 may use an NPC Attestation of Birth or other accepted alternatives.
• Marriage and divorce: a Certificate of Marriage from the Marriage Registry for registry marriages; divorces are decreed by the High Court. Customary and Islamic marriages have their own evidence rules.

The State Department warns that Nigerian civil documents are often questioned, so bring supporting evidence such as hospital, school, and baptism records.

The largest Nigerian community is in Houston, Texas, followed by the Dallas area. Large communities also live in the Washington, DC area (especially Prince George's County in Maryland), Atlanta in Georgia, the New York and New Jersey area, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Nigerian churches, mosques, and professional associations of doctors, nurses, and engineers are strong support networks.