The U.S. Department of State announced that, effective August 1, citizens and residents of Nigeria seeking U.S. visas must schedule appointments and pay the required visa fees at the U.S. Consulate in Lagos, now the designated location for routine visa processing.
The United States government has designated its Consulate in Lagos as the new visa processing centre for Nigeria following a major restructuring of its consular operations across Africa that will see the U.S. Embassy in Abuja cease offering routine visa services from August 1, 2026.
The U.S. Department of State announced that, effective August 1, citizens and residents of Nigeria seeking U.S. visas must schedule appointments and pay the required visa fees at the U.S. Consulate in Lagos, now the designated location for routine visa processing.
According to the department in a statement on Friday, the move forms part of a broader realignment of visa operations across Africa aimed at strengthening national security, improving operational efficiency and ensuring more consistent visa screening, vetting and adjudication standards.
"The U.S. Department of State is realigning visa operations in Africa to regional hubs as part of a long-standing practice that strengthens national security by promoting more uniform screening, vetting, and adjudication standards, as well as improving efficiency and adjusting to shifting U.S. immigration policy priorities and objectives," the department said.
