Nigerians seeking routine United States visas can no longer process their applications at the U.S. Embassy in Abuja, with Lagos now serving as the country’s sole hub for routine visa services.
The U.S. Embassy in Abuja has again reminded applicants that the change took effect on August 1, 2026, following a major restructuring of American visa operations across Africa.
Under the new arrangement, applicants seeking routine U.S. visas must go through the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos for appointments and visa processing.
The U.S. Department of State said the wider policy was designed to strengthen security by standardising screening, vetting and visa adjudication, while also improving efficiency.
The embassy said applicants who already had appointments scheduled in Abuja would still be attended to, although some appointments had been rescheduled.
Those affected were advised to check their email for details of their new appointment dates.
Applicants who paid the visa application fee but have an unused and valid MRV receipt can also use it to obtain a new appointment at the Lagos consulate.
The development followed the State Department’s July 15 announcement that routine visa operations in several African locations would be consolidated into designated regional hubs.
For Nigeria, Lagos was selected as the designated regional hub.
The policy affects routine non-immigrant and immigrant visa services, meaning applicants for categories such as tourism, business, family and employment-related visas are now required to use the designated processing location.
ABUJA EMBASSY NOT CLOSED
However, the visa shake-up does not mean the U.S. Embassy in Abuja has been shut down.
Following concerns generated by the announcement, the U.S. Mission in Nigeria clarified that the restructuring was limited to routine visa processing and would not affect the embassy’s overall diplomatic operations.
The mission said the Abuja embassy would continue carrying out its other functions despite the transfer of routine visa services to Lagos.
A subsequent update also showed that Abuja continues to process diplomatic and official visas for eligible applicants, including A, G and C visa categories.
The State Department described the regional-hub arrangement as part of a broader effort to make visa processing more consistent across Africa while responding to changing U.S. immigration and security priorities.
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