The United States Mission in Nigeria has announced changes to its immigrant visa process, set to take effect on January 1, 2025.
In a statement shared on its official X (formerly Twitter) page on Tuesday, December 10, the U.S. Embassy revealed that applicants with scheduled interviews will now be required to visit the Consulate General in Lagos twice during the visa process.
The announcement stated:
“For applicants with interviews scheduled after January 1, 2025, you are required to visit the Consulate General in Lagos at least twice during the immigrant visa process.”
The new procedure aims to help applicants better prepare for their visa interviews and to prevent significant delays in processing their immigrant visas.
Details on the embassy’s website indicate that the first visit will involve an in-person document review with a consular staff member. The second visit will be for the visa interview with a consular officer, scheduled by the National Visa Center (NVC).
The statement further explained:
“The document review ensures that applicants are prepared for their visa interviews. This step allows applicants to retrieve any missing documents ahead of the interview, helping to avoid delays in processing.
The second visit, on the other hand, is the visa interview with a consular officer, scheduled by the NVC.”
The embassy also issued a caution to applicants, stating:
“If you do not complete the in-person document review before your visa interview, you will be required to reschedule your appointment.”