U.S. President Donald Trump is reportedly considering expanding the current visa ban to include Nigeria and several other African nations.
According to The Washington Post, an internal memo signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio lists 36 countries that could face travel restrictions if the president approves the proposal. The move is part of broader efforts by the Trump administration to tighten immigration controls.
The potential ban targets countries that, according to U.S. officials, lack transparent governance and fail to maintain reliable databases for verifying the identities of travelers. These shortcomings, the memo notes, pose security concerns for U.S. immigration systems.
Among the countries listed are 25 from Africa, including Nigeria, Egypt, and Djibouti — the latter two being key U.S. military partners on the continent. Other African nations include Angola, Ghana, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, and Uganda, among others.
Also named in the list are countries from other regions, including Antigua and Barbuda, Bhutan, Cambodia, Dominica, Kyrgyzstan, Saint Lucia, Syria, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
Governments of the listed countries are expected to submit preliminary plans by Wednesday outlining how they intend to meet the new security and identity verification standards set by the U.S. State Department. They will have 60 days to comply with the updated requirements.
U.S. authorities cited issues such as widespread government fraud, lack of centralized civil documentation systems, and high rates of visa overstays among the concerns driving the proposed restrictions.
This new proposal follows similar visa bans imposed earlier this month on 12 countries, including Afghanistan, Myanmar, Libya, Iran, Somalia, and Sudan.