US Halts Green Card and Citizenship Applications From Nigeria and Other Newly Restricted Countries

The United States government has suspended green card and citizenship applications submitted by Nigerians and nationals of several other countries newly added to an expanded US travel ban, according to a report by CBS News published Thursday.

A US government official confirmed that the directive came from the administration of President Donald Trump, which instructed the US Citizenship and Immigration Services, or USCIS, to pause processing of immigration benefits for affected countries. The decision is linked to national security concerns and an ongoing review of immigration screening and vetting procedures.

The suspension follows a presidential proclamation signed by Trump on Tuesday that further tightens entry into the United States for citizens of countries considered high risk. According to the proclamation, the affected nations have what the administration described as persistent and severe shortcomings in screening systems, vetting standards, and information sharing. US officials argue that these deficiencies pose threats to national security and public safety.

Nigeria is among 15 countries newly placed under partial travel restrictions. The inclusion of Africa’s most populous nation marks a significant expansion of earlier measures. Trump had previously labeled Nigeria a country of particular concern on October 31, citing allegations of widespread violence against Christians.

Under the new policy, USCIS has stopped processing not only new green card applications but also citizenship petitions from nationals of the listed countries until further notice.

Below is the full list of countries affected by the suspension.

Countries under full travel ban

Burkina Faso

Mali

Niger

South Sudan

Syria

Laos

Sierra Leone

Countries under partial travel restrictions

Angola

Antigua and Barbuda

Benin

Côte d’Ivoire

Dominica

Gabon

Gambia

Malawi

Mauritania

Nigeria

Senegal

Tanzania

Tonga

Zambia

Zimbabwe

Previously affected countries

Afghanistan

Burundi

Chad

Cuba

Republic of the Congo

Equatorial Guinea

Eritrea

Haiti

Iran

Libya

Myanmar

Somalia

Sudan

Togo

Turkmenistan

Yemen

Venezuela

The latest suspension builds on restrictions first announced in June, when several countries were subjected to partial limitations on immigration processing. According to reports, the most recent proclamation upgraded Laos and Sierra Leone from partial restrictions to a full entry ban. As a result, USCIS expanded the freeze on immigration petitions to include green card and citizenship applications from those countries as well.

US officials say the review of vetting systems remains ongoing, and it is unclear when, or if, the suspended applications will resume processing.

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