Current as of October 2026. These policies are being litigated and can change quickly. Check the official sources linked below, or call the office, before making travel or filing decisions.
Many Sacramento-area families have relatives in Nigeria waiting on visas, or are waiting on their own green card, work permit, or citizenship applications. 2026 brought several federal immigration policies at once, followed by court rulings that undid some of them. The headlines often blur them together. They are separate, and each one affects different people.
This post is general information. It is not advice for any individual case. Immigration outcomes depend on each person’s history, location, and visa category.
1. The travel proclamation (still in effect)
Presidential Proclamation 10998 took effect on January 1, 2026. For nationals of Nigeria, it suspends entry as immigrants and on B-1/B-2 visitor, F and M student, and J exchange visas. Consular officers are also directed to shorten the validity of other nonimmigrant visas issued to Nigerian nationals.
- According to the State Department, it applies to people who were outside the United States on January 1, 2026 and did not hold a valid visa on that date.
- It removed earlier exceptions for spouses, children, and parents of U.S. citizens applying for immigrant visas. Exceptions are now decided case by case.
- Visa categories not named in the proclamation are not suspended by it.
- The proclamation requires a review every 180 days, so it can be changed or ended.
2. The 75-country immigrant visa pause (struck down, under appeal)
Starting January 21, 2026, the State Department paused immigrant visa issuance for nationals of 75 countries, including Nigeria. On August 21, 2026, a federal court in New York set that policy aside in Catholic Legal Immigration Network v. Rubio, and on September 25 the judge declined to pause her ruling during the appeal. The government has asked the federal appeals court for a stay.
The State Department says the 75-country pause is no longer in effect and has told consulates to re-review refusals that were based only on that pause. For Nigerian applicants abroad, however, the travel proclamation above still applies, so this ruling alone may not open the door to an immigrant visa.
3. The USCIS processing freeze (struck down, under appeal)
USCIS separately paused decisions on many applications filed inside the United States—such as green card, work permit, family petition, and naturalization applications—for nationals of the travel-ban countries. A federal court ruled that freeze unlawful in June 2026, and USCIS has said it is applying the ruling nationwide while the government appeals.
For Nigerians already in the U.S. with applications pending at USCIS, that means processing should be moving again. It does not guarantee approval; each application is still decided on its own merits.
What Sacramento families can do now
- Identify which policy actually applies. Where is the applicant—in the U.S. or abroad? Which form or visa category? Did they hold a valid visa on January 1, 2026?
- Check refusals. If a relative’s immigrant visa was refused only because of the 75-country pause, it may be up for re-review. A refusal based on the proclamation is different.
- Keep documents current. Medical exams, police certificates, and civil documents expire. The State Department’s reciprocity page for Nigeria lists which Nigerian documents are accepted.
- Avoid travel surprises. Anyone in the U.S. with a pending application should get advice before traveling abroad.
- Watch out for scams. In California, immigration consultants and “notarios” cannot give legal advice or represent you. Only a licensed attorney or an accredited representative can.
Clifford Chigbu’s immigration practice helps Sacramento-area families with family petitions, citizenship, visas, and deportation defense. For family matters connected to immigration, see California Family Law Basics Every Resident Should Know, and for background on how immigration law has been changing, Immigration Changes in 2025 — What You Need to Know.
Official sources
- U.S. State Department — Proclamation 10998 visa suspension
- U.S. State Department — 75-country immigrant visa pause updates
- Federal Register — Proclamation 10998
- USCIS Newsroom
Talk through your family’s situation
If you or a relative are affected, Clifford Chigbu Attorney at Law can review where your case stands and what options exist.
Call Clifford at 916-230-6381 or schedule a consultation online.
Office: 4815 Laguna Park Dr, Suite C, Elk Grove, CA 95758.
Questions about a visa, green card, or citizenship case? Clifford Chigbu is here to help.
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