# US Visa for Nigerian Citizens From Dubai: The 2026 Suspension Explained

Source: https://visadoctor.ae/nigerian-citizens-us-visa-from-dubai/
Last updated: 2026-10-01
Publisher: Visa Doctor FZC, licensed visa documentation agency in Dubai (SPC Free Zone licence 4417571.01)

Written and reviewed by the **Visa Doctor documentation team** · Dubai · Rated 4.9★ on Google. [See how we help](/visa-services-dubai/).

**Quick answer:** Since 1 January 2026, the United States has partially suspended new B1/B2 tourist and business visa issuance to Nigerian nationals under Presidential Proclamation 10998. If you already held a valid US visa before that date, it remains valid and was not cancelled. If you do not, a fresh application from Dubai is still possible but is now harder, and successful applicants may also be asked to post a visa bond of up to $20,000. Dual nationals holding a passport from a country not on the list can apply on that passport instead.

## What actually changed on 1 January 2026

Presidential Proclamation 10998, signed 16 December 2025, partially suspended visa issuance to nationals of 19 countries, Nigeria among them, effective 1 January 2026 at 12:01 a.m. Eastern time. This is separate from, and in addition to, a full suspension that applies to nationals of a different group of 19 countries, which does not include Nigeria.

The policy is confirmed on the official US Department of State travel advisory page, which is the primary source for this article and the one to check for any future update, since a proclamation of this kind can be amended.

## Who is actually affected, and who is not

Situation |
Status under the proclamation |

You already hold a valid US visa issued before 1 January 2026 |
Not affected. Your visa was not revoked and remains valid until its own expiry date |

You are a Nigerian citizen with no current US visa, applying fresh |
Covered by the partial suspension for B1/B2, and for F, M, J categories |

You hold dual nationality, with a passport from a country not on the suspended list |
You can apply using that other passport instead of your Nigerian one |

You are a lawful permanent resident of the US, a green card holder |
Exempt from the proclamation regardless of your Nigerian nationality |

You are travelling for a designated major sporting event |
A specific exception exists for participants in certain major sporting events |

The State Department’s own guidance is direct on one point: applicants who are subject to the proclamation may still submit a DS-160, pay the fee, and attend an interview, but they may be found ineligible for the visa or for admission to the United States purely because of the proclamation, separate from the usual merits of their case. That is an important distinction from an ordinary refusal, and it is why this is not simply a matter of preparing a stronger application.

## The visa bond requirement, on top of the suspension

Separately from Proclamation 10998, the US Visa Bond Pilot Program was made permanent on 3 August 2026 and now covers Nigeria among roughly 50 mostly African countries. Under this program, an applicant who is otherwise found eligible for a B1 or B2 visa may still be required to post a refundable bond of $10,000, $15,000, or $20,000 before the visa is issued, with the exact amount decided by the consular officer based on factors including financial capacity, employment, purpose of travel, and ties to Nigeria. This bond exists alongside the suspension, not instead of it, so an applicant who is not covered by an exception to the suspension would need to clear that hurdle before the bond question even arises.

## Applying from Dubai or Abu Dhabi as a Nigerian citizen resident in the UAE

Nigerian citizens legally resident in the UAE can apply for a US visa as a third country national at the US Consulate General in Dubai or the US Embassy in Abu Dhabi, without needing to return to Nigeria. You still apply on your Nigerian passport, complete the DS-160 online, pay the MRV application fee, and book biometrics and an interview at whichever post has availability. Living in the UAE does not change your nationality for the purpose of the proclamation, so the same suspension and bond rules apply whether you file from Lagos or from Dubai.

Given the current restriction, anyone in this position should treat a US visit visa as a genuinely uncertain outcome right now, regardless of how strong the supporting documents are, and should have a realistic conversation about timing and alternatives before spending money on fees, biometrics appointments, and a potential bond.

## How Visa Doctor helps

We give Nigerian clients in the UAE an honest read on where they actually stand before they spend anything. That includes checking whether a dual nationality or an existing valid US visa changes your situation, explaining what the bond program would mean in practice if your application proceeds, and, where a US trip is not realistic in the near term, helping you plan a Schengen or UK application instead, since both remain unaffected by this proclamation and are often a faster path to the same business or leisure trip.

Need help with your application?

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If a US trip is not realistic right now, our [guide to current UK visit visa fees](/uk-visit-visa-fee-increase-2026-uae/) and our [guide for African nationals applying for a UK visa from the UAE](/kenyan-citizens-uk-visa-from-uae/) cover an alternative route that is not affected by this proclamation. Our [visa document checklist generator](/visa-document-checklist-generator/), [visa cost calculator](/visa-cost-calculator/), and [visa approval chance calculator](/visa-approval-chance-calculator/) all help you plan a Schengen or UK application instead, and our [passport and travel index](/passport-travel-index/) shows where a Nigerian passport gives visa-free or visa-on-arrival access without any US application at all. Browse all our [free visa tools](/visa-tools/) for more.

For general background on how US visa refusals work outside of this proclamation, see our guide on [what a 214(b) refusal means and how to respond](/us-visa-214b-refusal-explained-dubai/), and our explainer on [the US visa integrity fee](/us-visa-integrity-fee-250-dubai/), which still applies on top of the standard MRV fee for any nationality that can currently apply. Nigerian citizens applying for the [UK](/nigerian-citizens-uk-visa-from-uae/) instead of the US can also compare notes with our guide for [Kenyan citizens applying for a UK visa from the UAE](/kenyan-citizens-uk-visa-from-uae/), since the document standard is broadly similar.

## Frequently asked questions

### Can Nigerian citizens still apply for a US visa at all right now?

Yes, submitting a DS-160, paying the fee, and attending an interview is still possible. What changed is that Nigerian nationals without an exception are now expected to be found ineligible under Presidential Proclamation 10998 regardless of how strong the rest of the application is, so a fresh B1/B2 application is currently a very uncertain path.

### Does this affect a US visa I already have?

No. Any valid US visa issued before 1 January 2026 was not revoked and remains valid for its normal period. The proclamation only applies to people who did not hold a valid visa on the effective date.

###

The visa bond is a different policy, made permanent on 3 August 2026, that can require an otherwise eligible B1 or B2 applicant from Nigeria and around 49 other countries to pay a refundable bond of $10,000 to $20,000. It applies on top of, not instead of, the suspension under Proclamation 10998.

### Does living in the UAE instead of Nigeria change anything?

No. The proclamation applies based on your nationality, not your country of residence, so a Nigerian citizen applying from Dubai faces the same rules as one applying from Lagos. You can still use the US Consulate in Dubai or Embassy in Abu Dhabi as a third country national, but the underlying eligibility rules do not change.

### What if I hold a second passport from another country?

Last reviewed September 2026. Visa rules, fees and processing times change frequently. Always confirm current requirements on the official government or consulate website before booking travel. Visa Doctor is a licensed private service provider (SPC Free Zone 4417571.01) and is not a government authority; we do not issue visas.