The United States has imposed new partial travel restrictions on Nigerians after official data showed notable rates of visa overstays, while President Donald Trump approved a sweeping proclamation expanding entry limits to nationals of dozens of countries identified as raising immigration and security concerns.
A White House fact sheet released on Tuesday said Nigeria recorded an overstay rate on B-1/B-2 business and tourist visas of 5.56 percent, along with an 11.90 percent overstay rate for student, vocational and exchange visitor visas. U.S. officials said the numbers, combined with ongoing security challenges linked to extremist violence in some parts of the country, influenced the decision to partially suspend Nigeria, affecting certain categories of immigrant and non-immigrant visas.
Beyond Nigeria, the proclamation cited overstay figures in several other African and developing countries that are now subject to full or partial entry restrictions. Sierra Leone, which moved from a partial suspension to a full suspension, recorded a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 16.48 percent, while the student and exchange visitor overstay rate stood at 35.83 percent. American officials also noted that Freetown has historically not accepted nationals who have been expelled from the United States.
Burkina Faso, newly added to the full list of suspensions, was reported to have a 9.16 percent B-1/B-2 overstay rate and a significantly higher 22.95 percent overstay rate among students and exchange visitors. The White House said persistent terrorist activity and a refusal to repatriate expellable nationals further justified the tougher measures.
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In Mali and Niger, where armed conflict and extremist activity remain widespread, the administration pointed to both security risks and immigration data. The overstay rate for B-1/B-2 visas in Niger stood at 13.41 percent, while the overstay rate for students and exchange visitors reached 16.46 percent, figures the White House says demonstrate weak compliance. US Immigration Laws.
South Sudan, another country under full suspension, recorded an overstay rate of 6.99 percent for B-1/B-2 visas and a much higher rate of 26.09 percent for F, M, and J visas. U.S. officials again cited as a major concern the fact that the country has long not accepted the return of deported nationals.
Among countries facing partial suspensions along with Nigeria, Angola was reported to have a 14.43 percent B-1/B-2 overstay rate and a 21.92 percent overstay rate for student and exchange visas. Benin’s figures stood at 12.34 percent for B-1/B-2 visas and 36.77 percent for F, M and J visas, while The Gambia recorded 12.70 percent and 38.79 percent respectively, one of the highest student overstay rates listed in the report.
Malawi also ranked high, with data from the United States showing an overstay rate of 22.45 percent among business and tourist visa holders and a rate of 31.99 percent for students and exchange visitors. Overstay rates in Zambia stood at 10.73 percent for B-1/B-2 visas and 21.02 percent for F, M and J visas, while Zimbabwe recorded 7.89 percent and 15.15 percent respectively.
Asian and Caribbean nations were also affected. Laos, now under full suspension, recorded a B-1/B-2 overstay rate of 28.34 percent and an overstay rate for students and exchange visitors of 11.41 percent, according to the most recent U.S. report.
Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica were cited not primarily for overstay numbers but for operating citizenship-by-investment programs without residency requirements, which U.S. officials said complicates identity verification.
The White House said the restrictions are designed to be country-specific and reversible, encouraging affected governments to improve information sharing, strengthen civil documentation systems and reduce visa overstay rates.
Waivers remain in effect for lawful permanent residents, existing visa holders, diplomats, and persons whose entry serves the national interests of the U.S., with waivers also permitted on a case-by-case basis.
President Trump said the measures build on travel restrictions introduced during his first term and upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that high overstay rates and weak cooperation from foreign governments place an undue burden on U.S. law enforcement resources.
The administration said countries that demonstrate sustained improvements could see restrictions eased following future reviews.