US Revises Nigerian Immigrant Visa Processing Requirements

Nigerians applying for immigrant visas now have to meet new standards set by the US in an effort to expedite the application process.

The United States has revised its standards for Nigerians seeking to get an immigrant visa; the new regulations will go into effect on January 1, 2025.

This policy requires all visa applicants to make two trips to the Consulate General in Lagos in order to complete the application procedure. For individuals whose interviews are set for this date or later, this condition is applicable.

On Tuesday, the US embassy posted the instruction on its X account. The embassy claims that the revised procedure will help applicants be ready for their interviews and reduce the amount of time it takes to process immigrant visas.

In order to make sure you are ready for your visa interview, the US Consulate in Lagos said on its website that your initial appointment is for an in-person document review with a consular staff member. In order to prevent application processing delays, you will have the chance to get any missing papers prior to your visa interview during this required review.

“An appointment is not required for the in-person document review. You will get an email from the Consular Section with the date of your document review session, which will be around two to four weeks prior to your visa interview.

The visa interview with a consular official will take place on the second visit. “The National Visa Center (NVC) will set the date and time for your visa interview,” the notification stated. “Your appointment will need to be rescheduled if you do not finish the In-Person Document Review prior to your visa interview.”

The embassy advised candidates to follow the updated procedures in order to guarantee a more seamless visa application process.