US slams visa restrictions on Nigeria, 5 other countries

Nigeria, Eritrea, Myanmar, Kyrgyzstan, Sudan and Tanzania have been slammed with visa restrictions by the United States of America.

This was announced on Friday night by the US Department of State, adding that under a proclamation signed on Friday by President Trump, citizens from Eritrea, Myanmar, Kyrgyzstan and Nigeria, won’t be allowed to apply for visas to immigrate to the U.S.

Citizens of Sudan and Tanzania are also barred from participating in the diversity visa lottery.

The latest proclamation by President Trump adds to a list of seven countries, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, Venezuela and North Korea, that were placed under visa restrictions by the US president in 2017.

Read also: CORONAVIRUS: Govt will not stop Nigerians from travelling to China —Lai Mohammed

The latest restrictions do not however affect those seeking to enter the US either on business or pleasure from the newly added six countries.

According to the US Government, the new policy was designed to tighten security for countries that don’t comply with the U.S. minimum security standards or cooperate to prevent illegal immigration.

Homeland Security and State Department officials however stated that some immigrants would be able to obtain waivers from the restrictions, which would be effective February 22.

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