US lifts visa freeze on foreign doctors, Nigerians

The United States has reversed a policy that had frozen visa applications for foreign-trained doctors, resuming processing for physicians from Nigeria and roughly 38 other affected countries, The New York Times reported on Sunday.

The earlier restriction, introduced in January, had halted decisions on visa extensions, work permits and green cards for citizens of about 39 countries under the country’s travel ban system, leaving many foreign-trained physicians unable to practise.

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services has since updated its guidelines to exempt medical doctors from the freeze, allowing their applications to move forward.

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security confirmed the reversal to the NYT, saying that “applications associated with medical physicians will continue processing.”

The policy shift comes against the backdrop of a deepening healthcare staffing crisis in the United States, where authorities estimate a shortfall of around 65,000 doctors — a figure projected to worsen in the coming years.

Foreign-trained physicians account for roughly a quarter of the US medical workforce, with a significant proportion serving in primary care roles in rural and underserved communities.

The earlier freeze had pushed some doctors onto administrative leave while others faced potential job losses as visa approvals stalled.

The resumption of processing is expected to relieve pressure on hospitals and allow affected doctors, including Nigerians, to continue their work.