Education: Nigerian Students With Valid F1, J1 Visas Not Affected By Presidential Proclamation — US Mission
This comes months after the United States announced that it would partially suspend the issuance of certain visas to Nigerian nationals starting January 1, 2026
The United States Mission Nigeria has said that Nigerian students and exchange visitors holding valid visas will not be affected by the partial visa suspension under Presidential Proclamation 10998.
It disclosed this in a post on X on Monday.
“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,” it stated.
F1 and J1 are non-immigrant visas for foreign nationals studying or training in the United States.
Temporary Suspension
The statement came months after the United States announced that it would partially suspend the issuance of certain visas to Nigerian nationals starting January 1, 2026, following Presidential Proclamation 10998 on border and national security.
The US Mission in Nigeria had said that 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 nonimmigrant B-1/B-2 visitor visas, as well as F, M, and J student and exchange visitor visas.
It also applies to immigrant visas, with 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 (SIVs) for eligible US government employees, Participants in certain major international sporting events, and Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs).
The suspension applies only to foreign nationals outside the United States on the effective date who do not hold a valid US visa at that time.
$15,000 Visa Bond
In January, the United States Department of State introduced a $15,000 refundable visa bond beginning January 21.
The measure placed Nigeria among 38 countries whose nationals would be subject to the new bond requirement.
In Nigeria’s case, the US cited the presence and operations of radical Islamic terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State in certain parts of the country, resulting in “substantial screening and vetting difficulties.”
The directive states that, “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 a substantial sum, ranging from several thousand dollars to as much as $15,000, based 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.
The policy, US authorities say, comes amid heightened concerns over visa overstays and non-compliance, particularly involving countries with historically higher overstay rates.
