US to suspend visa processing for Nigerians, 74 others over welfare concerns

The United States State Department has concluded plans to pause visa processing for nationals of 75 countries, including Nigeria, as Washington intensifies immigration screening over concerns that some migrants may rely on welfare and public benefits.

The proposed pause, scheduled to take effect from January 21, will remain in force indefinitely while the department undertakes a comprehensive reassessment of its immigrant visa screening and vetting procedures.

Countries affected by the measure span Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Europe and Latin America, and include Nigeria, Somalia, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Afghanistan, Russia, Brazil and Thailand, among others.

The policy follows renewed focus by the Trump administration on the so-called “public charge” rule, a long-standing provision of US immigration law that allows authorities to deny visas to individuals considered likely to depend on government assistance.

Earlier in the year, President Donald Trump released data on welfare dependence among immigrant households, noting that about 33.3 per cent of Nigerian immigrant households were receiving one form of public assistance or another.

A State Department memo, first reported by Fox News Digital, directed US embassies and consular officers worldwide to refuse visa applications under existing public charge provisions while the broader review is ongoing.

According to the directive, applicants may be denied visas based on a range of factors, including advanced age, health conditions, obesity, past use of government cash assistance, or any history of institutionalisation.

“The State Department will use its long-standing authority to deem ineligible potential immigrants who would become a public charge on the United States and exploit the generosity of the American people,” State Department spokesperson Tommy Piggott said.

He added that immigration from the affected countries would be paused while the department reassesses processing procedures aimed at preventing the entry of foreign nationals likely to depend on welfare and public benefits.

In November 2025, the State Department had issued a global cable instructing consular officers to apply stricter screening standards under the public charge rule. The guidance expanded the factors officers must consider, including health status, age, English proficiency, financial capacity, employment prospects, and the potential need for long-term medical care.

Although the public charge provision has existed in US immigration law for decades, its enforcement has varied across administrations. However, under President Trump, the scope of the rule was significantly broadened in 2019 to include a wider range of public benefits.

The latest move is expected to heighten uncertainty for thousands of Nigerians seeking student, work, tourist and family-based visas, while also raising concerns about its wider implications for diplomatic and people-to-people relations between the United States and affected countries.