Unless you are traveling for business or pleasure, your chances of getting into the United States are very thin now.
Well, that will be from February 22.
The Donald Trump government has added Nigeria to the list of countries on which it has slammed visa ban.
According to reports, State Department on Friday night announced that it has put six new countries under its travel ban list.
Under a proclamation signed Friday by President Trump, citizens from Eritrea, Myanmar, Kyrgyzstan and Nigeria- Africa’s most populous country, won’t be allowed to apply for visas to immigrate to the U.S.
Two other countries, Sudan and Tanzania, will be barred from participating in the diversity visa lottery, which randomly awards green cards to 50,000 immigrants from underrepresented countries annually.
“The six countries will join a list of seven nations, most of them Muslim-majority, which include Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, Venezuela and North Korea, that faced significant travel restrictions under President Trump’s original travel ban, issued in 2017.
“However, unlike five of the original countries—Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen—travelers from the newly added nations who seek to visit the U.S. for business or pleasure will still be permitted entry,” a report says on Linda Ikeji blog.
The Nigerian government has said the move would be unfortunate as it would harm vulnerable people – according to the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.
He has, a few days ago, urged Trump to reconsider the move.
For now, it is not clear what step Nigeria will take.
The Trump administration says the travel ban is vital to national security and ensures countries meet US security needs when it comes to sharing vital information that can prevent and fight terrorism.
“The restrictions are tailored to country-specific deficiencies, as well as travel-related risks to the homeland,” a Department of Homeland Security official told reporters Friday.
