The government of United States, US has announced a ban on the long-standing practice of non-immigrant visa applicants seeking “interview appointments in neighbouring countries,” a move that will affect many Nigerians who have used this option to avoid long wait times at U.S. missions in Lagos and Abuja.
In a directive released on September 6, 2025, the Department of State announced that applicants must now “schedule their visa interviews at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in their country of nationality or residence.”
This new instruction means that Nigerians who previously traveled to places like Ghana, Cameroon, or Canada to “fast-track appointments” will no longer be able to do so.
According to the Department, “applicants who schedule interviews outside their country of nationality or residence might find it more difficult to qualify for a visa. Fees paid for such applications will not be refunded and cannot be transferred.”
Exceptions will only be made in cases of “humanitarian or medical emergencies or foreign policy reasons.”
The policy is part of wider efforts to “streamline nonimmigrant visa adjudications” and reduce “global backlogs.”
The new rules do not apply to diplomatic, NATO, or UN-related visas.
With this directive, Nigerians seeking U.S. visas must now “work strictly with the consular offices in Abuja or Lagos, despite persistent appointment delays.”
