Policy Updates

The fee hike adds to the overall expense of the green card process for Nigerian researchers. The impact is limited to those who opt for expedited service to avoid the lengthy standard processing queue.

Under Section 5(j), the proclamation suspends the entry of Nigerian nationals as immigrants due to concerns regarding radical terrorist groups and vetting difficulties. This prevents outstanding professors and researchers from Nigeria from entering the United States on EB-1B immigrant visas unless they qualify for a rare case-by-case waiver.

The emphasis on credential verification may lead to longer processing times as USCIS seeks to validate academic achievements from Nigerian institutions. This could delay entry for specialists in critical academic and medical fields.

Nigerian applicants will see a rise in the cost of obtaining an EB-1B visa. As there is no current retrogression for Nigeria in this category, the impact is limited to the financial filing burden.

Nigerian researchers and professors will see changes in the required filing fees for their I-140 petitions. The inclusion or exclusion of the Asylum Program Fee depending on the court's final determination will affect the total cost of the green card process.

The shift to electronic payments requires Nigerian applicants or their sponsoring institutions to utilize U.S.-compatible digital payment methods. This streamlines the initial intake of EB-1B petitions at USCIS service centers.

The transition to electronic funds for USCIS fees provides a more secure and faster payment method for Nigerian applicants. This change does not impact the overall adjudication timeline for the EB-1B visa.

Nigerian applicants in high-level research roles must ensure all documentation of their achievements is easily verifiable by U.S. authorities. This policy targets the use of fraudulent employment letters or misrepresented institutional affiliations.

Nigerian researchers and professors will face the same subjective vetting as other applicants. This policy change requires careful preparation of personal statements to avoid any perception of anti-American sentiment.

Nigerian applicants in the EB-1B category benefit from the clarified CSPA age calculation, ensuring children are not penalized by administrative processing times. The use of the 'Dates for Filing' chart offers a more generous window for maintaining derivative eligibility.

Nigerian professors and researchers will be required to pay the updated USCIS fees for Form I-140. The change is a uniform administrative update affecting all applicants from the region.

The guidance ensures that Nigerian researchers and professors are notified of any derogatory information used against their petition. This allows for a more robust defense of their eligibility and ensures that the adjudication process remains transparent.

Nigerian applicants will no longer need to monitor the expiration of their I-693 forms, as the new indefinite validity period covers the entire duration of the adjustment of status process.

Nigerian EB-1B applicants will see a reduction in the complexity of their medical examinations. This policy change ensures that the lack of specific COVID-19 vaccination records does not delay the Adjustment of Status process for those currently in the U.S.

Nigerian academics and researchers applying for EB-1B status must use the updated filing procedures. This change is intended to streamline USCIS intake and does not impact the per-country cap for Nigeria.

Nigerian applicants with scheduled appointments on Jan. 9 will experience a minor delay. As there is no current EB-1 backlog for Nigeria, this is strictly an administrative inconvenience.

Visa Bulletin Advancement: EB-1 Rest of World (2023-10)

The Department of State advanced the EB-1 Final Action Date for Rest of World chargeability to Current in the 2023-10 bulletin. Applicants in this category can now file or have their cases adjudicated without priority date restrictions.