Reps Confront U.S. Over Reduction in Visa Validity
Reps Confront U.S. Over Reduction in Visa Validity
On Tuesday, the House of Representatives urged the United States government to reinstate the five-year multiple-entry visa previously granted to Nigerians, which was recently reduced to a three-month single-entry visa by the administration of President Donald Trump.
This call came after the House adopted a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Muhammad Mukhtar and four other lawmakers during the plenary session.
Titled “Motion on the urgent need for the United States to review its visa policy in light of the Nigeria/US strategic partnership,” the motion urged the House to speak with one voice in demanding a reversal of the new visa policy.
Speaking on behalf of his colleagues, Mukhtar expressed concern over the U.S. Department of State’s decision on July 8, 2025, to reduce the validity of Nigerian non-immigrant visas from the existing five-year multiple-entry status to just three months with a single entry.
The House further notes that the imposed three-month single-entry visa will inflict significant consequences across multiple spheres, including business constraints, academic disruption and diaspora and family strain.”
He also argued that Nigeria looked forward to monthly remittances of $1bn via diaspora bonds, “a strategic objective that will be compromised if travel becomes complicated or uncertain.”
The sponsors also noted that the decision on the new visa regime was taken “despite the longstanding, strategic, and historic relationship between Nigeria and the United States, a relationship grounded in mutual respect, shared democratic values, robust bilateral cooperation and people-to-people engagement.”
They continued, “We recognise the fundamental role played by the House through the Nigeria United States Parliamentary Friendship Group in fostering legislative diplomacy between both countries, and its consistent engagements with its US counterparts and institutions in Washington DC, New York, Utah, and other jurisdictions, all in a bid to advance mutual understanding and policy cooperation.
The House acknowledged that during the recent United States Independence Day celebration in Abuja, the Chairman of the Nigeria-US Parliamentary Friendship Group reaffirmed the longstanding friendship and historical ties between Nigeria and the United States.
“The House is also aware that Nigerians in the US represent one of the most educated and productive immigrant communities, contributing significantly to American healthcare, technology, academia, arts, entrepreneurship, and public service, including notable figures such as Chimamanda Adichie and Uzoma Asagwara, among many others,” the lawmakers stated.
They noted, however, that the recent policy change undermines decades of goodwill, sacrifices, and collaborative efforts by both governments, legislatures, and citizens to promote shared democratic goals, combat terrorism, and strengthen trade, education, and cultural exchange.
During the recent visit of the Nigeria-US Parliamentary Friendship Group to the United States, discussions were held with members of the US Congress—including Rep. Chris Smith—US State Department officials, and policy institutions. These talks aimed to clarify Nigeria’s security challenges, address religious and ethnic profiling, and call for the removal of restrictions that unfairly penalize over 200 million law-abiding Nigerian citizens for the isolated actions of non-state actors.
Following the adoption of the motion, the House urged the US Embassy in Nigeria and the US Department of State to revoke the new visa policy and reinstate the five-year multiple-entry visa regime previously granted to Nigerian citizens, emphasizing the principles of mutual respect, equity, and reciprocity.
The House also mandated the Nigeria-US Parliamentary Friendship Group to formally communicate the House’s position to the US Congress, the US Department of State, and the US Embassy in Nigeria, while intensifying bilateral legislative diplomacy.
Furthermore, the House directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to engage diplomatically with the US government to prevent further deterioration of relations and safeguard the dignity and mobility of Nigerian citizens.
Lastly, the lawmakers encouraged ongoing dialogue between Nigerian and American institutions—both governmental and non-governmental—to address security concerns, human rights issues, and policy misunderstandings that could hinder shared democratic and economic progress.
