Ever since December 2025, when the US Mission in Nigeria said Washington expanded travel restrictions to include partial limitations on Nigeria and five other countries, effective January 1, 2026, it always takes a first time applicant unprecedented fortunes to get Visa approval. This was the submission of a senior official at Travel and Tours Limited, Maureen Chimaobi in a recent interview.
According to her, securing a US visa has become increasingly difficult over the past year, with many first-time applicants facing steep odds despite completing all required procedures, revealing that “Last year, getting a US visa drastically reduced, especially if you are a first-time traveller or first-time applicant. It’s almost a no-go area.”
Chimaobi averred that applicants continue to pay visa fees, schedule appointments and attend interviews, but approvals have become far less predictable. “You pay your visa fee, book your appointment and go for submission. Most of the time, they don’t give it.”
The decline in visa issuances comes amid a series of policy changes introduced after Donald Trump returned to the White House in January 2025, which have gradually tightened requirements for Nigerian applicants.
Business Hilights.ng recalls that in July 2025, the US Department of State announced that most non-immigrant and non-diplomatic visas issued to Nigerian citizens would be restricted to single-entry permits valid for three months, with existing visas unaffected.
Also, in August of same year, applicants were required to disclose all social media usernames used over the previous five years on DS-160 forms, with officials warning that omissions could lead to visa denial or ineligibility.
The scenario reflects growing concerns among travel operators about declining approval rates for Nigerian applicants, even as demand for overseas travel remains strong. Chimaobi said rejection levels have remained high throughout the period under review, particularly for individuals with limited international travel history and mainly first timers.
However, many international tour experts are hopeful that the United States may reconsider its current immigration policy towards the end of the year and possibly after World Cup if nothing sinister is traced to many first timers at the world cup fiesta.
