The United States Mission Nigeria has clarified that Nigerian students and exchange visitors holding valid visas will not be affected by the partial visa suspension introduced under Presidential Proclamation 10998.

In a post on X on Monday, the mission stated: “Nigerian students and exchange participants with currently valid F1 and J1 visas are not affected by Presidential Proclamation 10998.

“Students and exchange participants with visas can continue to contribute to learning, research, and innovation at US colleges and institutions.”

F1 and J1 visas are non-immigrant categories issued to foreign nationals pursuing academic studies or participating in exchange and training programmes in the United States.

The clarification follows an earlier announcement by the United States that it would partially suspend the issuance of certain visas to Nigerian nationals from 1 January 2026, pursuant to Presidential Proclamation 10998 on border and national security.

The US Mission in Nigeria said the restrictions would take effect at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Standard Time under the proclamation titled, “Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States”.

Nigeria is among 19 countries affected by the measure, alongside Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Venezuela, and Zambia.

The proclamation imposes a partial suspension on the issuance of non-immigrant B-1/B-2 visitor visas, as well as F, M, and J student and exchange visitor visas. It also applies to immigrant visas, subject to limited exceptions.

Exemptions include immigrant visas for ethnic and religious minorities facing persecution in Iran, dual nationals applying with a passport from a country not affected by the suspension, Special Immigrant Visas for eligible US government employees, participants in certain major international sporting events, and Lawful Permanent Residents.

The suspension applies only to foreign nationals who are outside the United States on the effective date and who do not hold a valid US visa at that time.

In January, the United States Department of State introduced a refundable visa bond of up to $15,000, effective from 21 January.

The measure placed Nigeria among 38 countries whose nationals are subject to the new bond requirement.

In Nigeria’s case, US authorities cited the presence and operations of extremist groups, including Boko Haram and the Islamic State, in parts of the country, resulting in what they described as “substantial screening and vetting difficulties”.

The directive states: “Any citizen or national travelling on a passport issued by one of these countries, who is otherwise found eligible for a B1/B2 visa, must post a bond of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000. The amount is determined during the visa interview.

“Applicants must also submit the Department of Homeland Security’s Form I-352. Applicants must also agree to the terms of the bond through the US Department of the Treasury’s online payment platform, Pay.gov. This requirement applies regardless of the place of application.”

According to the announcement, the visa bond is intended as a compliance measure rather than an additional visa fee.

Applicants approved for the B1/B2 category — commonly used for short-term business and tourism travel — may be required to deposit between several thousand dollars and $15,000, depending on individual risk assessments.

The bond is designed to ensure that visa holders adhere strictly to the terms of their visas, including observing the authorised duration of stay and departing the United States as required.

US authorities said the policy was introduced amid heightened concerns over visa overstays and non-compliance, particularly involving countries with historically higher overstay rates.