Nigerians seeking to renew their visas to go to the United States must now attend visa interviews like first-timers, as the United States embassy in Nigeria has suspended drop box service also known as interview waiver.
Nairametrics understands that the interview waiver suspension will take effect from Tuesday, May 14, 2019.
Is the suspension indefinite? Yes, according to the United States Mission to Nigeria.
In a statement, the Mission said it is indefinitely suspending interview waivers for renewals, otherwise known as the “Dropbox” process. It also said that Visa applications will no longer be accepted by DHL in Nigeria.
It stated that all applicants in Nigeria seeking a nonimmigrant visa to the United States must apply online, and will be required to appear in-person at the U.S. Embassy.
The statement read, “Effective at the close of business today, Tuesday, May 14, 2019, the U.S. Mission to Nigeria is indefinitely suspending interview waivers for renewals, otherwise known as the “Dropbox” process. Visa applications will no longer be accepted by DHL in Nigeria. Those who have already submitted their passports via “Dropbox” to DHL for processing either at the U.S. Embassy in Abuja, or the Consulate General in Lagos, will not be impacted by this change.
“All applicants in Nigeria seeking a nonimmigrant visa to the United States must apply online, and will be required to appear in-person at the U.S. Embassy in Abuja or U.S. Consulate General in Lagos to submit their application for review. Applicants must appear at the location they specified when applying for the visa renewal.
“Processing of diplomatic and official (A, G, and NATO class) visa applications will continue unchanged.
“Mission Nigeria’s processing procedures are regularly reviewed in order to assess our ability to quickly, efficiently, and securely process visa applications. The U.S. Mission is taking this step to provide more efficient customer service and promote legitimate travel, and will continue to facilitate applications of established travelers to the best of its ability.”