The United States has declared its intention to implement its visa ban on corrupt high-profile Nigerians.
The U.S. Mission in Nigeria made this known in a statement posted on its official X handle.
The U.S. Mission declared that the decision to impose a visa ban on corrupt high-profile individuals is due to the country’s zero-tolerance policy against corruption.
The U.S. mission also added that the visa ban is targeted at influential figures who are undermining democratic integrity in Nigeria.
The announcement also emphasized that the U.S is committed to ensuring that corruption does not cross its borders.
The statement reads: “Fighting corruption knows no borders or limits on accountability. Even when high-profile individuals engage in corruption, they can be barred from receiving U.S. Visas.
#VisaWiseTravelSmart”
Pan-Atlantic Kompass reports that the latest announcement is a follow-up on an initial announcement made in May 2023.
In May 2023, the U.S announced that it had taken steps to impose visa bans on persons who disrupted the recent general elections in Nigeria.
In a statement on the U.S State Department website, former Secretary of State Antony Blinken said: “The United States is committed to supporting and advancing democracy in Nigeria and around the world. Today, I am announcing that we have taken steps to impose visa restrictions on specific individuals in Nigeria for undermining the democratic process during Nigeria’s 2023 election cycle.”
Recall also that this comes as the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has been overhauling immigration policies since the commencement of his tenure in January 2025.
Trump has been announcing changes to immigration and visa policies.
Recently, Trump imposed a new fee of $100, 000 on H-1B visas for foreigners.
The U.S. President had also slashed the visa validity for Nigerians to three months.
Pan-Atlantic Kompass reports that changes to the visa validity is a departure from previous policies that offered Nigerians multiple-entry visas valid for up to two or even five years.
The administration of Trump announced that the reason for the reduction of the visa validity was due to Nigeria’s own policy of issuing single-entry, three-month visas to American citizens.
