The United States has suspended, until further notice, the processing of all routine visas at the U.S. Embassy in Niamey, Niger. This decision, revealed Saturday by a State Department spokesperson and an internal diplomatic cable reviewed by Reuters , affects all immigrant and nonimmigrant visa applications. While no specific reason has been officially given, Washington has cited "concerns regarding the government of Niger."
The suspension, effective July 25, does not apply to most diplomatic and official visas. "The Trump administration is focused on protecting our nation and our citizens by maintaining the highest standards of national security and public safety through our visa process," a State Department spokesperson said, without providing details on the specific diplomatic or security concerns that prompted the measure.
In the same diplomatic cable, U.S. officials asked consular officers at other embassies to increase vigilance in processing visa applications from Nigerien nationals. The document states that overstays by Nigeriens in the United States reach a rate of 8% for visitor visa holders and 27% for student and exchange visas. Efforts must be made, according to Washington, to reduce these rates, which are considered worrying.
The US Embassy in Niamey informed the affected applicants of the suspension. This measure is part of a stricter immigration policy pursued by President Donald Trump , who made combating illegal immigration a priority of his second term. This tightening of the policy has already resulted in a series of restrictions targeting several African countries and a reinforced deportation policy, including raids on workplaces.
The suspension of visa processing in Niger risks causing additional tensions between the two countries, at a time when Niger's political stability remains fragile following the July 2023 military coup. The United States, which had already reduced its security cooperation with the regime in power, now appears to be broadening the scope of its diplomatic retaliation.
