By Okeke Eunice
The United States Embassy in Nigeria has unveiled changes to its immigration visa procedures, set to take effect on January 1, 2025.
As a result, applicants with scheduled interviews will now be required to make two visits to the Consulate General in Lagos as part of the application process.
Yesterday, the embassy announced on its official X page: ‘Applicants with interviews scheduled after January 1, 2025, must visit the Consulate General in Lagos at least twice as part of the immigrant visa process.’
“The embassy stated that the new process aims to help applicants prepare for their visa interviews and minimize significant delays in processing immigrant visas.”
According to information on the embassy’s website, the first visit will involve an “In-Person Document Review” with a consular staff member. This step ensures applicants are well-prepared for their interviews by allowing them to identify and retrieve any missing documents in advance, thereby reducing processing delays.
The second visit will be the actual visa interview, conducted by a Consular Officer. This interview appointment will be scheduled by the National Visa Center (NVC).
The embassy emphasized that applicants who fail to complete the In-Person Document Review before their visa interview will need to reschedule their appointments. These updates are intended to streamline the process and address delays caused by incomplete documentation.
Additionally, as previously announced on August 26, 2024, the embassy has transitioned to a new visa services provider for its consulates in Abuja and Lagos.