Thousands of Nigerians seeking US visas will no longer be able to process their applications at the US Embassy in Abuja from August 1, 2026, following a major restructuring of visa services announced by the United States.
The US Department of State said routine visa operations at its embassy in Abuja and 24 other diplomatic posts across Africa will be consolidated into regional hubs to enhance national security, cut government waste, and ensure more consistent screening, vetting, and adjudication standards.
The department said the move aligns with President Donald Trump's policy of "putting America and Americans first."
"The Trump administration has no higher priority than the safety and security of Americans," the department stated, adding that it would continue to provide essential consular services at diplomatic posts worldwide.
The State Department clarified that the affected embassies and consulates will remain open and that the policy does not affect currently valid US visas.
Affected visa categories include immediate relative (IR), family preference (FP), employment-based (EB), fiancé(e) (K), adoption, diversity visa, and follow-to-join asylee and refugee (V92/V93) cases.
Routine visa services will continue at designated hubs, including Lagos, Abidjan, Accra, Addis Ababa, Cape Town, Dakar, Dar-es-Salaam, Johannesburg, Kampala, Kigali, Kinshasa, Luanda, Monrovia, Nairobi, Praia, and others. These hubs will handle both immigrant and non-immigrant applications.
Applicants in affected countries have been advised to book appointments and pay fees at their designated hubs from August 1.
The policy is expected to affect thousands of Nigerians, as Abuja had been one of the country's two main visa processing centres alongside the Lagos Consulate. Many applicants may now have to travel to Lagos or other designated hubs to complete their applications.
Post a Comment