By Peter Omopo / 2nd August 2025
Over 300 Nigerian students who secured admission into various universities across the United States have raised the alarm over prolonged delays in the issuance of their student visas, jeopardizing their ability to meet school resumption deadlines.
The affected applicants, who formed a WhatsApp group named “Administrative Processing Support Group,” voiced their frustrations over the lack of communication and indefinite administrative processing following their interviews at U.S. embassies in Lagos and Abuja. The group currently comprises 301 members.
The delay follows new immigration protocols introduced under the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, which have significantly tightened the scrutiny around student visa issuance. In May 2025, the U.S. government temporarily halted the scheduling of all new F-1, M-1, and J-1 visa interviews globally to implement enhanced vetting processes. These new protocols include mandatory submission of applicants’ social media handles from the past five years and open account visibility for background checks.
Applicants revealed that visa officers cited social media reviews as the primary reason for the delays. Some students reported waiting over 45 days without any update, despite being initially assured of a two-week processing window.
Among the affected is Abdul Oluwa, a student admitted into an Ivy League university in Ithaca. He said, “I was interviewed on June 17 at the Lagos embassy. The consular officer assured me I would get my visa in two weeks. It’s now been 45 days, and I’ve heard nothing. My school resumed on August 1, and I can’t even plan my travel because my passport is still with the embassy.”
Another student, Tobi, who gained admission into the University of New Mexico, lamented that while students from countries like Ghana and Bangladesh had received their visas, Nigerian applicants remained in limbo. “I had my interview on July 1. I was told to wait before booking a flight. Now my school resumes on August 16 and I have exams starting August 11, but I’ve heard nothing from the embassy,” he said.
A similar experience was shared by Olu Seyi, who was interviewed in Abuja on June 13. “They placed me on administrative processing and said they’d get back before my school start date of August 11. It’s been weeks, and there has been no update. My passport is still with them, and many of us are missing out on other opportunities,” he said.
Further compounding the situation is the newly introduced $250 “Visa Integrity Fee” and the potential discontinuation of the “duration of status” policy, which previously allowed students to remain in the U.S. as long as they maintained valid academic enrollment.
On social media, Nigerian students have continued to call for urgent intervention. One of them, @OwolabiClassic, a PhD student admitted for the Fall 2025 session, appealed to the Nigerian government for support. In a post seen by Saturday PUNCH, he wrote: “Despite completing visa interviews over a month ago, a significant number of us are still awaiting F-1 visa approval. Meanwhile, applicants from other countries get results in just 3 to 10 days.”
He added that some students have had their passports returned without explanation, while others remain in the dark, unable to plan flights or accommodation.
With most U.S. institutions already resuming or set to resume this August, Nigerian students are now facing a race against time—and mounting financial and emotional pressure.
Calls have grown louder for both the Nigerian government and the U.S. embassy to address the issue and ensure that affected students are not forced to defer their studies due to bureaucratic bottlenecks.
