President Donald Trump’s administration has announced strict new visa restrictions for Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Nigeria.
The new policy limits nearly all non-immigrant and non-diplomatic visas issued to nationals of these four African countries to a single entry valid for just three months, the BBC reported.
This is a significant reduction from the previous conditions, which granted multi-entry visas valid for two years or more.
Newsweek contacted the U.S. State Department for comment via email.
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Why It Matters
The visa restrictions introduce immediate hurdles for travelers, professionals, and students from the four nations who are seeking to visit or study in the US.
US officials said the move was motivated by both security and visa reciprocity concerns.
The changes follow a series of new travel restrictions placed on African and predominantly Muslim-majority countries by the White House.
What To Know
The revised policy says that citizens of Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Nigeria will receive single-entry, three-month visas for most travel, replacing previous US practices that allowed for multiple entries over much longer durations, the BBC reported.
The Department of State described the change as a “global reciprocity realignment,” seeking to match the visa terms offered to American citizens by these countries.
The department clarified that these policies are “subject to ongoing review” and could change pending progress in areas such as issuing secure travel documents, curbing visa overstays, and sharing law enforcement data.
Nigeria is Africa’s top source of international students to the U.S., with a 13.5 percent year-on-year increase, according to the 2024 Open Doors report on international education exchanges. Some officials and advocates fear the tightening of visa rules could disrupt educational flows.
Last month, the U.S. suspended all immigrant and non-immigrant visas for citizens of Eritrea, Somalia, and Sudan, further tightening border and visitor policies. Screening of all visa applicants’ social media accounts for signs of “hostility toward US citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles” has also been instituted.
Trump’s administration has previously issued broad travel and visa restrictions, particularly targeting African, Middle Eastern, and Muslim-majority nations. In June, the administration gave 36 countries an ultimatum to improve vetting and documentation or face potential travel bans.
What People Are Saying
Bayo Onanuga, a spokesman for the president of Nigeria, said on Thursday: “We want to reiterate that the US government’s claim of reciprocity as the reason for its current visa policy towards Nigeria does not accurately reflect the actual situation.”
A US State Department spokesperson told Newsweek: “The Department of State is committed to protecting our nation and its citizens by upholding the highest standards of national security and public safety through our visa process.”
What Happens Next
The US State Department stated that visa policies remain under periodic review and could be adjusted if affected countries introduce reciprocal improvements or meet new security criteria.