By Ebi Kesiena
The United States Mission in Nigeria has announced that Nigerians and other visa applicants will continue to undergo security vetting even after their visas have been approved.
In a statement shared on its official X platform on Monday, the mission explained that visa screening is not a one-time process but a continuous, multi-layered system designed to ensure applicants remain eligible to travel to the United States throughout the validity of their visas.
“All visa applicants, no matter the visa type and where they are located, are continuously vetted. Security vetting runs from the time of each application, through adjudication of the visa, and afterwards during the validity period of every issued visa,” the statement read.
According to the mission, the vetting process evaluates applicants’ backgrounds, including criminal history, potential security risks, and other relevant factors, adding that the measure applies universally regardless of visa category or location.
The development comes amid heightened scrutiny of U.S. immigration policies following restrictions introduced under former President Donald Trump.
On December 16, 2025, the White House announced an expansion of travel restrictions affecting several countries, with Nigeria placed under partial limitations. The policy restricted access to certain visa categories, including B-1/B-2 business and tourism visas, as well as F, M, and J student visas.
U.S. authorities cited concerns over national security, visa overstays, and gaps in identity verification systems as reasons for the move, grouping Nigeria among about 15 countries facing partial restrictions, while others were subjected to outright bans.
Further signalling a shift in diplomatic posture, the Trump administration also recalled several ambassadors across Africa, including the U.S. envoy to Nigeria, Richard Mills Jr., as part of a broader restructuring of the country’s foreign service.
Since his departure in January 2026, the U.S. Embassy in Abuja has been headed by a chargé d’affaires, indicating a temporary downgrade in diplomatic representation.
The U.S. Mission maintained that the continuous vetting system is aimed at safeguarding national security and ensuring that all travellers meet eligibility requirements throughout their stay approval period.
