The United States Embassy has announced changes to its immigrant visa processing requirements for Nigerian applicants, effective January 1, 2025.
Under the new system, applicants will need to visit the Consulate General in Lagos twice as part of the application process.
The directive, announced on the embassy’s official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Tuesday, applies to individuals with interviews scheduled on or after the effective date. The embassy stated that the revised process is aimed at helping applicants better prepare for their visa interviews and avoiding significant delays in processing.
First Visit: In-Person Document Review
The initial visit, termed In-Person Document Review, involves applicants meeting with consular staff to verify their application documents. According to the embassy’s website, this step ensures that applicants are fully prepared for their visa interviews and provides an opportunity to retrieve any missing documents in advance.
- No appointment is needed for this review.
- The consular section will notify applicants via email about their document review appointment, typically scheduled two to four weeks ahead of the visa interview.
Second Visit: Visa Interview
The second visit will be the visa interview itself, which will occur on the date and time pre-scheduled by the National Visa Center (NVC).
The embassy emphasized the importance of completing the document review prior to the interview. “If you do not complete the In-Person Document Review before your visa interview, you will be required to reschedule your appointment,” the statement clarified.
The US Embassy urged applicants to adhere to the revised procedure for smoother and more effective visa processing.
