Nigeria: U.S. Embassy Stops Routine Visa Processing in Abuja, Moves Services to Lagos

The United States Embassy in Abuja has stopped processing routine visa applications, directing applicants to the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos for such services.

The embassy disclosed this in a reminder posted on its official X account, stating that the new arrangement took effect on August 1, 2026.

According to the embassy, routine visa services are now available only at the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos, while the Abuja mission no longer processes routine visa applications.

It said applicants who already had scheduled appointments would still be attended to, although some appointments may have been rescheduled.

The embassy advised applicants with existing appointments in Abuja to check their email for information regarding any new appointment dates.

It also clarified that applicants holding unused, still-valid Machine-Readable Visa (MRV) fee receipts can use them to schedule new appointments at the U.S. Consulate in Lagos.

The development followed the U.S. Department of State's decision to realign routine visa operations across Africa to designated regional hubs.

The department said the move is aimed at strengthening national security through more uniform screening, vetting and adjudication standards, while also improving efficiency in visa processing.

Under the new arrangement, Lagos has been designated as Nigeria's regional visa hub, alongside other centres including Accra, Abidjan, Addis Ababa, Dakar, Johannesburg, Nairobi and Yaoundé.

The U.S. government has stressed that the development does not mean the closure of the U.S. Embassy in Abuja.

The realignment covers routine nonimmigrant and immigrant visa services, including tourist and business visas, petition-based visas, family preference visas and employment-based immigrant visas, among other categories.

Applicants seeking routine U.S. visa services in Nigeria are therefore expected to make arrangements with the Lagos Consulate, while those with existing Abuja appointments are advised to monitor their emails for updates on any changes to their scheduled dates.

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