•Embassy cautions Nigerians against using AI-edited passport photos
Ejiofor Alike
The United States has finalised a plan that will compel Nigerians and other African business and tourist visa applicants to deposit up to $20,000 to guarantee they will depart America at the expiration of their stay, citing rising visa overstays and poor information-sharing by several countries on the continent.
The rule, which takes effect on Monday, August 3, 2026, establishes a permanent Visa Bond Program following the pilot phase that began in August 2025.
This is even as the US Mission in Nigeria has cautioned Nigerians against using AI-edited passport photos for visa applications, saying it will not accept photos that are edited or filtered.
