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Washington announces tough new rules amid sweeping immigration crackdown.
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Fresh surcharges, social media screening now mandatory for visa applicants.
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Non-diplomatic travellers face tighter restrictions, limited visa validity.
The United States has issued a stern warning to Nigerian travellers, cautioning that any violation of their authorised visa period could lead to immediate deportation and a possible lifetime ban from entering the country.
The warning comes as part of a series of new visa restrictions and immigration measures introduced by the Biden administration in a sweeping clampdown on overstays and security vetting.
In a statement posted on its official X handle on Tuesday, the US Mission in Nigeria said:“If you remain in the United States beyond your authorised period of stay, you could be deported and could face a permanent ban on travelling to the United States in the future.”
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Last week, Washington introduced a revised visa reciprocity policy for Nigerians, restricting non-immigrant and non-diplomatic visas to single-entry, three-month validity. It also imposed a $250 Visa Integrity Fee for students, workers, and tourists applying for US entry.
Applicants in B-1/B-2 (tourist/business), F and M (students), H-1B (workers), and J (exchange visitors) categories are subject to these surcharges, while only diplomatic applicants (A and G categories) are exempt.
In addition, the US now requires all visa applicants to submit social media usernames and disable privacy settings on their accounts to allow full vetting.
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The US Embassy in Abuja said every visa decision is now “a national security decision” and underscored that the new vetting process aims to “ensure the safety of American citizens.”
Since taking office, President Biden has continued policies that intensify immigrant screening, requiring stringent background checks to identify potential security threats.
