Washington: The United States has announced sweeping changes to its non-immigrant visa policy for Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, and Nigeria, cutting the duration and conditions under which most travelers from these countries can enter.
According to Nam News Network, the US Department of State has stated that nearly all non-immigrant and non-diplomatic visas issued to citizens of the four countries will now be single-entry and valid for only three months. This marks a significant departure from previous terms, which often allowed for multiple entries over two years or more. The policy is part of a global reciprocity realignment, aiming to balance the visa terms between the US and the mentioned African nations.
In contrast, US citizens can receive visas of up to a year in Cameroon and 90 days in Ethiopia. While authorities in Cameroon and Ethiopia have not yet commented, Ghana's government has issued a statement highlighting that it has granted over 28,500 multiple-entry visas to US citizens this year. Ghana expressed hopes for a swift resolution to the issue and extended support to its citizens affected by the new US policy.
Nigeria has voiced its concerns, describing the move as disproportionate and urging the US to reconsider. The Nigerian government warned that the restriction could adversely impact the cultural and educational exchanges that have traditionally strengthened US-Nigeria relations.
The State Department noted that visa policies are subject to continuous review and may be altered based on evolving diplomatic, security, and immigration criteria. The US government emphasized its commitment to working closely with the authorities in the affected countries to meet key international standards.
This development follows even stricter measures imposed last month on Eritrea, Somalia, and Sudan, where the US suspended all immigrant and non-immigrant visas. Additionally, the US has mandated that the social media accounts of all foreign visa applicants be scrutinized for any signs of hostility towards US citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles.
Nigeria, which was the seventh largest source of international students to the US and the highest in Africa, according to the 2024 Open Doors report, has seen a 13.5% increase in student numbers from 2023. However, an aide to former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari suggested on social media that the visa policy shift might be linked to Nigeria's growing ties with the Brics nations, following President Bola Tinubu's recent visit to Brazil for the Brics gathering.
Immigration lawyer Godwin Oke offered a different perspective, interpreting the changes as a standard practice of visa reciprocity under international diplomatic norms. He pointed out that the US previously issued Nigerians five-year multiple-entry visas, while Nigeria provided Americans with short-term, single-entry visas, suggesting the new policy addresses this imbalance.
Earlier this year, the US mission in Nigeria warned that overstaying a visa could result in a permanent travel ban and potential criminal prosecution, although there is no official data on the number of Nigerian travelers overstaying their visas. Concerns have been raised that the number of Nigerians granted US visas may decline amidst President Donald Trump's stringent immigration policies.