US Names 12 West African Countries Whose Citizens Must Return Home for 2 Years

• The US Department of State has published its Exchange Visitor Skills List, naming 23 African countries whose nationals face strict post-programme requirements
• Out of the 23 African countries listed, 12 are from West Africa, including Nigeria and Ghana
• Exchange visitors from the listed countries must return home for two years before accessing certain US immigration benefits

The United States Department of State has placed 12 West African nations on its Exchange Visitor Skills List, a designation that triggers a mandatory two-year home-country residency requirement for affected nationals once their US-based programmes conclude.

The requirement is rooted in Section 212(e) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which authorises the Secretary of State to identify countries deemed to have a clear need for particular areas of specialised knowledge or skill.

Where both a person's country of nationality or residence and their field of study or work appear on the Skills List, that individual becomes subject to the two-year physical presence obligation upon completing their exchange visitor programme.

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West African countries named on the Skills List

The 12 West African countries included in the current designation are Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, and Togo.

They form part of a broader group of 23 African countries identified across the continent.

Until the two-year home-country requirement is fulfilled, affected exchange visitors cannot apply for an immigrant visa, a permanent resident card, or a change of non-immigrant status to certain categories within the United States. The restriction applies only where both the country and the relevant skill field appear on the list.

What the requirement means for J-1 visa holders

The Exchange Visitor programme draws a wide range of participants, including researchers, students, teachers, and specialists, all travelling to the United States on J-1 visas. The underlying intention of the programme is for participants to bring acquired skills and knowledge back to their home countries after completing their placements.

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For nationals of Nigeria, Ghana, and the other ten West African countries on the list, the two-year rule effectively links the full benefits of US immigration pathways to prior service at home.

Those who wish to avoid the two-year requirement must seek a waiver. Such waivers are granted only under narrowly defined circumstances, including situations involving exceptional hardship to a US citizen spouse or child, or a formal request submitted by a designated interested government agency.

US updates list of Nigerians facing deportation

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that the US had reduced the number of Nigerian nationals earmarked for deportation to 112 and published their full names and photographs on its official web portal.

The updated figure from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) represents a reduction from an earlier figure announced.

Source: YEN.com.gh