U.S. Places Nigeria on Travel Restriction List

President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed a new proclamation tightening entry into the United States for nationals of countries considered high-risk due to what the administration described as “persistent and serious shortcomings in screening, vetting, and information-sharing” that pose threats to U.S. national security and public safety.

Nigeria is among 15 additional countries newly placed under partial travel restrictions.

Details of the decision were released in a White House fact sheet titled “President Donald J. Trump Further Restricts and Limits the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States,” dated December 16, 2025.

Trump had earlier, on October 31, designated Nigeria a “country of particular concern,” citing allegations of widespread violence against Christians. Explaining Nigeria’s inclusion, U.S. authorities said extremist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State operate freely in parts of the country, creating major challenges for effective screening and vetting.

According to U.S. overstay data, Nigeria recorded a 5.56 percent overstay rate for B-1/B-2 visas and an 11.90 percent overstay rate for F, M, and J visas.

The White House described the move as a data-driven effort to bolster national security through what it called “common-sense restrictions.” The proclamation maintains full entry restrictions on nationals of the original 12 countries listed under Proclamation 10949: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.

It also imposes full restrictions on five additional countries—Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, and Syria—as well as on individuals traveling with Palestinian Authority–issued documents. Laos and Sierra Leone, previously under partial limits, are now subject to full restrictions.

Partial restrictions remain in place for nationals of Burundi, Cuba, Togo, and Venezuela.

In addition, partial entry limitations now apply to 15 more countries: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The fact sheet clarifies that exemptions exist for lawful permanent residents, current visa holders, certain visa classes such as diplomats and athletes, and individuals whose entry aligns with U.S. national interests.

The document further notes that some family-based immigrant visa exemptions linked to “demonstrated fraud risks” have been tightened, though waivers may still be granted on a case-by-case basis.

According to the White House, the proclamation is intended to prevent the entry of individuals for whom the United States lacks sufficient information to properly assess risk, encourage cooperation from foreign governments, enforce immigration laws, and support broader foreign policy, counterterrorism, and national security goals. Trump was quoted as saying it is the president’s responsibility to ensure that those entering the country do not pose a danger to Americans.

The administration said the decision followed consultations with cabinet officials and assessments conducted under Executive Order 14161, Proclamation 10949, and country-specific security evaluations. Trump, the statement added, concluded that further restrictions were necessary to protect U.S. security and public safety.

The fact sheet explains that the measures are tailored to each country’s circumstances, citing issues such as corruption, unreliable civil and criminal records, weak birth registration systems, refusal to share law enforcement data, abuse of citizenship-by-investment programmes, high visa overstay rates, failure to accept deported nationals, and the presence of terrorist or criminal networks.

The White House framed the action as part of Trump’s broader security agenda, reaffirming his commitment to stricter travel controls and border enforcement. It also referenced a previous Supreme Court ruling that upheld similar measures as being within presidential authority and grounded in legitimate security objectives.

Finally, the fact sheet noted that Turkmenistan has made progress in cooperating with U.S. authorities, leading to the lifting of restrictions on nonimmigrant visas for its nationals, while immigrant entry from the country remains suspended.