- Partial systems outage disrupted Nigerian visa appointments
- The US State Department assured applicants that operations have returned to normal
- Visa applicants affected by the disruption to be notified for rescheduled interviews
The United States Department of State recently attributed the challenges faced by Nigerian applicants in securing US visas to a partial system outage.
This explanation followed numerous complaints from Nigerian visa applicants, who reported issues such as missed interviews despite being scheduled for appointments, prompting concerns.
Consular operations resume after temporary outage
In response, Jennifer Johnson, the U.S. State Department's Press Officer in the Bureau of Consular Affairs, confirmed the disruption on Saturday, March 8, and reassured the public that operations had returned to normal.
Johnson stated that consular operations had resumed and that any visa applicants affected by the outage would be contacted for rescheduled interviews.
The situation followed a transition to a new visa appointment system initiated by the US mission in Nigeria last year.
Change in visa process aims to improve transparency and efficiency
Recall that the new system required a first visit, which will involve an “In-Person Document Review” with a consular staff member and a second visit which will be the visa interview, led by a Consular officer.
“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.
The change aimed to streamline the process and improve transparency for applicants at the US Embassy in Abuja and the Consulate in Lagos.
Visa applicants affected to be notified for rescheduling
However, the transition also led to challenges for applicants, with the US government promising better visa processing once the system was fully implemented.
“The U.S. Department of State experienced a partial systems outage which has since been restored.
“All consular operations have resumed as normal.
“Visa applicants, whose interviews must be rescheduled due to the outage, will be notified, Johnson stated.
US H-1B visa to permit multiple employment in 2025
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in the United States announced a new regulation which permitted H-1B visa holders to work for multiple employers at the same time.
The H-1B visa allowed US companies to hire foreign workers for positions that require specialised knowledge.