The United States Embassy in Nigeria has revealed significant updates to its immigration visa procedure, set to take effect on January 1, 2025.
Under the new process, applicants with scheduled interviews will be required to visit the Consulate General in Lagos twice.
The embassy communicated the change through its official X page, stating that applicants with interviews after the stated date must visit the Lagos consulate for both an “In-Person Document Review” and the visa interview.
This new system is designed to help applicants prepare better for their interviews and minimize delays in the visa processing timeline.
Details on the embassy’s website outline that the initial visit will involve a review of documents with consular staff to ensure all necessary paperwork is in order before the interview. This step is intended to help applicants identify and address missing documents in advance, which should help avoid delays.
The second visit will be the actual visa interview, which will be scheduled by the National Visa Center and conducted by a Consular Officer. The embassy stressed that failure to complete the “In-Person Document Review” before the scheduled interview will require applicants to reschedule their appointment.
These adjustments are part of the embassy’s broader effort to enhance efficiency and reduce delays caused by incomplete applications. Additionally, as previously announced, the embassy transitioned to a new visa services provider for its consulates in Abuja and Lagos on August 26, 2024.
It wrote, “This new process is designed to help you prepare for your visa interview and to prevent significant delays in processing your immigrant visa.”
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.
“If you do not complete the In-Person Document Review before your visa interview, you will be required to reschedule your appointment.”
