- The United States Embassy in Nigeria will now require two visits to the Consulate General in Lagos for visa applicants starting January 1, 2025
- The first visit will be for an in-person document review, aimed at preventing delays in processing
- Applicants who miss the in-person review will need to reschedule their visa interview
The United States Embassy in Nigeria has revealed changes to its immigration visa procedures, set to take effect on January 1, 2025.
As a result, applicants with scheduled interviews must now visit the Consulate General in Lagos twice during the application process.
US visa application requires two-visit visa process
This was disclosed on the embassy’s official X (formerly Twitter) page on Wednesday, December 11. The statement read, “For applicants with interviews scheduled after January 1, 2025, are required to visit the consulate-general in Lagos 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.”
Information from the embassy’s website indicated that the first visit will involve an “In-Person Document Review” with a consular staff member.
The embassy further explained, “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.”
New process to prevent application delays
The embassy noted that the second visit will be the visa interview, led by a Consular officer. The National Visa Center (NVC) will be responsible for scheduling the appointment.
“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.
Recall that the embassy had transitioned to a new visa services provider for its consulates in Abuja and Lagos, as previously disclosed on August 26, 2024.
The embassy explained that the recent changes are aimed at improving efficiency and minimising delays due to incomplete documentation.
South Africa eases visa rules for Nigerian tourists, business professionals
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that South Africa introduced relaxed visa rules for Nigerian tourists and business travellers, eliminating passport submissions for tourist visa applications.
The announcement aligned with the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Nigeria and South Africa, emphasising economic collaboration.