US Confirms Visa Ban for Religious Freedom Violators, Warns Perpetrators Not Welcome

The United States government has confirmed that it is enforcing visa restrictions against individuals found to have violated religious freedom, warning that perpetrators of religious persecution will be barred from entering the country.

Mark Walker, the US Principal Advisor for Global Religious Freedom, announced the development in a post on X on Friday. He recalled that in December 2025, Secretary of State Marco Rubio had unveiled plans to restrict visas for those linked to religious freedom violations.

“In December, Secretary Rubio announced that the State Department will restrict US visas for those who have directed, authorised, funded, significantly supported, or carried out violations of religious freedom,” Walker wrote.

He added that the policy has already been implemented. “We have already executed on this policy, and we will continue to subject perpetrators to additional scrutiny. If you engage in persecution, you are not welcome in America. The United States is safer when we keep those responsible for religious persecution from entering our homeland.”

The policy is grounded in Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act and allows the State Department to extend restrictions to the immediate family members of affected individuals where appropriate.

Focus on Nigeria’s Security Situation

Walker shared a link to a US State Department statement that explicitly referenced Nigeria. The statement said the United States is taking “decisive action” in response to mass killings and violence against Christians by “radical Islamic terrorists, Fulani ethnic militias, and other violent actors in Nigeria and beyond.”

The policy will apply to Nigeria and any other governments or individuals engaged in violations of religious freedom, the State Department said.

“As President Trump made clear, the United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria, and numerous other countries,” the statement added.

Walker’s post came in response to a statement by Von Batten-Montague-York, LC, a US lobbying firm, which criticised the Nigerian government’s handling of insecurity. The firm accused Nigerian authorities of inaction and complicity, warning that US officials would hold accountable those responsible for violence or any attempts to undermine the integrity of Nigeria’s presidential election.

US Embassy in Abuja Suspends Visa Appointments

The visa restriction announcement follows a separate development on Thursday, when the US Mission in Nigeria shut down visa appointment services at its embassy in Abuja. The suspension came after Washington authorised the departure of non-emergency personnel and their families from the Abuja embassy due to worsening security concerns.

In a notice posted on X on April 9, 2026, the mission stated: “US Embassy Abuja is closed for visa appointments. Applicants should check their email for details on rescheduled appointments. Visa operations at the US Consulate General Lagos continue.”

The authorisation for non-essential staff to leave was granted on Wednesday and was contained in an updated travel advisory issued on April 8, which maintained Nigeria at Level 3 – urging American citizens to reconsider travel due to terrorism, kidnapping, violent crime, and civil unrest.