US ,Nigeria Discuss New Visa Rules And Plans Tougher Measures on Overstays

Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, met with the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills, in Abuja on Wednesday to discuss new US visa rules affecting Nigerian citizens.

The meeting focused on improving compliance with travel policies and strengthening cooperation between both countries on border security and immigration control.

The discussion comes a day after the US embassy in Nigeria introduced new visa restrictions for Nigerians, cutting down the validity of most non-diplomatic visas to just three months with single entry. The embassy said the policy is aimed at improving visa control and preventing misuse.

The Abuja meeting was attended by key officials, including the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Kemi Nanna Nandap, and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Magdalene Ajani. All parties at the meeting agreed on the need for tighter enforcement of visa conditions and better coordination on cross-border movement.

One of the major areas of agreement was the importance of curbing visa overstays. Both countries plan to put in place systems to better monitor visitors and enforce exit rules. The Nigerian government said it is committed to ensuring that citizens travelling abroad follow the terms of their visas strictly.

In addition to overstay controls, both sides discussed the sharing of criminal and security-related information. Nigerian authorities assured the US that they would step up efforts to verify the identity of passport holders and ensure secure documentation, reducing the risk of identity fraud and misuse of travel documents.

Ambassador Mills described Nigeria’s recent adoption of an e-visa system as a step in the right direction. The system, managed by the Nigeria Immigration Service, is designed to make visa applications more efficient and transparent while keeping tighter control over who enters the country.

Tunji-Ojo said the talks were productive and showed a mutual interest in improving global travel standards. He noted that the Nigerian government, under President Bola Tinubu, would continue to push for stronger systems that support legal travel while deterring abuse of visa privileges.

The new US visa policy has stirred concerns among Nigerians who travel frequently for work, education, and tourism. However, government officials say that collaboration like this will help improve the country’s reputation abroad and make international travel safer and more orderly.