U.S. suspends visa processing in junta-led Niger until further notice
The United States has suspended routine visa services at its embassy in Niamey, Niger.
The suspension applies to all immigrant and non-immigrant visa categories but exempts diplomatic and official visas.
The decision is part of broader measures aimed at addressing visa overstay rates among Nigerien nationals.
The United States has suspended all routine visa services at its embassy in Niamey, Niger's capital, until further notice, according to a State Department spokesperson and an internal diplomatic cable.
Dated July 25, the cable did not specify a reason for the suspension. However, a spokesperson for the State Department confirmed the move affects all immigrant and non-immigrant visa categories and will remain in place until Washington addresses unspecified 'concerns with the Government of Niger.'
Per Reuters report, diplomatic and official visas are exempt from the pause.
'The Trump Administration is focused on protecting our nation and our citizens by upholding the highest standards of national security and public safety through our visa process, ' the spokesperson added.
The cable also instructed U.S. consular posts worldwide to apply "heightened scrutiny" when reviewing non-immigrant visa applications from Nigerien nationals. It cited overstay rates of 8% for visitor visas and 27% for student and exchange visas as areas of concern.
The move aligns with President Donald Trump's broader hardline immigration policy, which has included nationwide enforcement campaigns targeting undocumented migrants and visa holders deemed to pose risks.
The visa pause comes months after the U.S. military completed its withdrawal from Niger in September, following an April 2024 directive by the country's junta ordering the exit of nearly 1,000 U.S. troops.
The withdrawal marked a huge blow to U.S. counterterrorism efforts in the Sahel, where Niger had served as a crucial security partner before a 2023 military coup upended relations.
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