Nigeria, US Collaborate to Reinforce Visa Overstay Regulations

Minister of Interior, Tunji-Ojo Meets US Ambassador Over New Visa Rules, Pledges Tighter Overstay Control

The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, on Wednesday held a strategic meeting with the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills, to discuss recent changes in US visa policies affecting Nigerian citizens.

The meeting was also attended by the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Kemi Nanna Nandap, and the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Magdalene Ajani.

During the meeting, Tunji-Ojo confirmed that the newly introduced US visa procedures for Nigerians were a key point of discussion. He described the engagement as “constructive,” noting that Ambassador Mills offered useful insights into the updated protocol and how it aligns with global standards for preserving the integrity of the visa process.

According to a statement issued after the meeting, Ambassador Mills also commended Nigeria’s new e-visa policy, describing it as an innovative move by the NIS aimed at simplifying and improving the visa application process for foreign nationals traveling to Nigeria.

The two sides pledged to deepen bilateral cooperation, particularly in ensuring strict compliance with visa regulations and encouraging responsible travel among Nigerian citizens.

Minister Tunji-Ojo emphasized the Nigerian government’s commitment—under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s leadership—to enforcing secure and verifiable travel documentation, as well as implementing robust systems to manage visa overstays and enhance information sharing on security and criminal records.

He stated:

“We are working to ensure compliance in three key areas:

• Secure travel documents: Guaranteeing the issuance of secure documents with verified identities.

• Visa overstay management: Implementing effective controls to limit overstays on US visas.

• Information sharing: Enhancing collaboration on relevant security and criminal records to protect public safety.”

This development follows the announcement by the US Embassy in Nigeria on Tuesday, which introduced stricter visa terms for Nigerian nationals. The revised policy reduces the validity period of most affected visas to three months and limits them to single entry.