U.S. Embassy updates immigration visa process for Nigerians

The United States Embassy in Nigeria has introduced changes to its immigration visa application process, set to take effect from January 1, 2025.

Under the new guidelines, applicants with scheduled interviews will now be required to visit the Consulate General in Lagos at least twice as part of the application procedure.

The embassy announced the update via its official X (formerly Twitter) page, stating:

“For applicants with interviews scheduled after January 1, 2025, visits to the Consulate General in Lagos are mandatory at least twice during the immigrant visa process.”

“This new process is designed to help you prepare for your visa interview and to prevent significant delays in processing your immigrant visa.”

According to details on the embassy’s website, the first visit will involve an “In-Person Document Review” with a consular staff member.

The embassy explained further: “This review ensures that applicants are prepared for their visa interviews. The review allows applicants to retrieve any missing documents, ahead of their visa interviews, helping to avoid delays in application processing.”

The second visit, according to the embassy, will be the visa interview itself, conducted by a Consular officer.

It added that this appointment would be scheduled by the National Visa Center, NVC.
“If you do not complete the In-Person Document Review before your visa interview, you will be required to reschedule your appointment,” the embassy noted.

These changes, the embassy said, were to enhance efficiency and reduce delays caused by incomplete documentation.

In a related development, the embassy has transitioned to a new visa services provider for its Abuja and Lagos consulates as erarlier announced on August 26, 2024.