The United States has temporarily suspended Green Card and citizenship applications for Nigerians, following an expansion of Washington’s immigration restrictions. The new policy also affects several other countries recently added to a broader travel control initiative, raising concerns among immigrants and diaspora communities worldwide.
The suspension applies to legal immigration filings, including applications for permanent residency and naturalisation. Many affected are Nigerians already residing in the US who were in the process of adjusting their status or applying for citizenship. Immigration authorities have paused processing petitions from nationals of countries covered by the latest travel restrictions.
The measures include both full bans and partial entry limits, depending on the country. Nigeria falls under the category of partial restrictions, meaning that while some immigration processes may still continue, many applications are effectively on hold. The suspension has created uncertainty for families, workers, students, and professionals awaiting decisions on their applications.
Other African countries affected by the policy include Benin, Senegal, Ghana, Gambia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Côte d’Ivoire, among others. While some nations face complete entry bans, others, including Nigeria, are under limited restrictions that still disrupt immigration processing and planning for thousands of individuals.
This move is part of a broader clampdown introduced in recent weeks. US authorities have also frozen asylum decisions and halted the processing of certain visa and immigration requests for specific nationalities. Officials have attributed the measures to a security review of the immigration system, emphasizing the need to identify potential threats to the country.
According to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), “USCIS is conducting a comprehensive review of anyone from anywhere who poses a threat to the US, including those identified in the President’s latest proclamation to restore law and order in our nation’s immigration system.”
Experts say the policy changes now affect a large portion of Africa, along with several countries in Asia and other regions. Analysts estimate that more than half of African nations are impacted in some form, leaving many immigrants and their families uncertain about the future of their legal status and plans for settlement.
The suspension has sparked strong reactions among Nigerians at home and abroad. Many have criticised the move, describing it as unfair and potentially damaging to long-standing diplomatic and people-to-people ties between Nigeria and the United States. Concerns have also been raised about the economic and social impact, particularly for families separated by immigration delays and professionals whose careers depend on legal residency.
Former senator Shehu Sani reacted to the development, describing it as “a clear signal that migrants from developing countries are no longer welcome.” Several advocacy groups and diaspora organisations have called on the US government to provide clarity on the duration of the suspension and to ensure that affected applicants are not unduly penalised.
The US government has not specified when the processing of applications for Nigerians will resume. Meanwhile, the announcement has left many in a state of uncertainty, as families, students, and workers scramble to understand how the new restrictions affect their plans for permanent residency, citizenship, and professional opportunities in the United States.
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