The US Mission in Nigeria has rolled out a no-interview visa renewal program for Nigerians in Lagos and Abuja.
“As part of our continuous commitment to expand and innovate consular services despite the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Mission Nigeria rolled out a limited pilot no-interview visa renewal program. After its initial launch this initiative will be evaluated based on fraud and workload factors before possible scaling and expansion.”
According to the Mission, the initiative will be rolled out in batches to begin from February in Lagos and subsequently, Abuja.
“The U.S. Mission will expand visa services to assist non-immigrant visa applicants in Nigeria who qualify to renew their visa.
This new application procedure will begin in February at the U.S. Consulate in Lagos and will be extended shortly thereafter to the U.S. Embassy in Abuja.
The number of qualified applicants who can apply using the new procedures will be limited initially.”
However, the offer is not without set out conditions according to a travel advisory published on the US embassy website.
See the conditions for the No-Interview Visa Renewal:
You may be eligible for a visa renewal without an interview if your application is for a B1/B2, F, M, J (academic only), H, L or C1/D (combined only) visa, AND you meet each of the following criteria:
Your previous visa was issued in Nigeria;
Your previous visa is in the same classification as your current application;
Your previous visa was a full validity, multiple entry visa;
Your previous visa expired within the last 24 months or will expire in the next 3 months from the date of application;
You have all your passports covering the entire period since receiving the previous visa and the passport with the most recent visa;
You have never been arrested or convicted of any crime or offense in the United States, even if you later received a waiver or pardon; and
You have never worked without authorization or remained beyond your permitted time in the United States.
If you are qualified based on the above criteria, visit https://www.ustraveldocs.com/ng to start your application.
Please note that processing times for the program are expected to be up to two months and you will not be able to retrieve your passport during that time.
Each applicant must individually meet the criteria; minors can apply without an interview only if they meet the eligibility criteria on their own.
Emergency Appointments
If you have a life-or-death emergency, you may request an expedited, in-person interview, however, to accommodate No-Interview Visa Renewals, appointments will be very limited.
Business travel, conferences, weddings, and graduations are not considered emergencies. If you have an emergency and need to travel immediately, please follow the guidance provided at https://www.ustraveldocs.com/ng or +234-1-227-8955 to request an emergency appointment.
Special Note: Third parties unaffiliated with U.S. Embassy Abuja and Consulate General Lagos may seek to take advantage of various visa services to target visa applicants with fraudulent offers or claims.
Applicants should fill out their own forms and make their appointments themselves via the official websites.
