The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has initiated plans to impose visa restrictions on Nigeria and 35 other countries, according to a report by The Washington Post.
An internal memo signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, dated Saturday, outlines a proposal for a sweeping travel policy targeting countries that fall short of new U.S. State Department requirements. The listed countries have been given 60 days to comply with the new benchmarks or risk facing entry bans or tightened visa controls.
The proposal, which primarily affects African nations, includes Nigeria, Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ghana, Ethiopia, Egypt, and 26 other countries. Others on the list span regions including the Caribbean, Asia, and the Pacific, such as Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Lucia, Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan, Syria, and Tonga.
The memo highlights various reasons for potential restrictions, citing failure to meet identity documentation standards, lack of cooperation from central governments, and widespread administrative fraud in some cases.
As part of the compliance process, affected nations are expected to submit initial action plans to the State Department by Wednesday.
Earlier in March, the Trump administration had drafted a similar travel ban list involving 43 countries, dividing them into red, orange, and yellow groups based on perceived risk. Nigeria was not included at that time. Under that categorization, the red group would face total travel bans, the orange group would see significant visa restrictions, and the yellow group was given a 60-day grace period to address security concerns.
If enacted, this expanded policy could significantly impact travel and diplomatic relations with the listed countries.
