The United States has suspended its visa dropbox service in Nigeria, now requiring all visitor visa applicants to attend in-person interviews for renewals.
The dropbox system previously allowed eligible applicants, particularly those with recent U.S. travel history, to submit their passports without an interview, significantly reducing wait times.
The removal of this option has sparked concerns among Nigerians, as visa interview appointments in the country are already stretched over a year in some cases.
Many students, business travelers, and tourists may now face major disruptions to their travel plans due to the expected backlog of interview requests.
While the U.S. Embassy has not provided an official explanation, some observers believe the decision may be linked to the lingering impact of Donald Trump’s restrictive immigration policies.
With the new visa interview requirement, applicants who once benefited from the convenience of the dropbox renewal process will now need to schedule and attend in-person interviews, potentially prolonging the visa approval process.
