The U.S. Embassy in Nigeria has announced changes to visa appointments in Abuja following the realignment of routine visa operations to designated regional hubs.
The embassy said applicants with scheduled appointments would still be attended to, although some appointments may have been rescheduled.
“Those with appointments in Abuja should check their email for their new appointment date,” the embassy said.
It added that applicants with unused and still-valid MRV visa application fee receipts could 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 designate Lagos as Nigeria’s regional visa hub as part of efforts to strengthen national security through more uniform screening, vetting and adjudication standards.
Other designated regional hubs include Accra, Abidjan, Addis Ababa, Dakar, Johannesburg, Nairobi and Yaoundé.
The U.S. government clarified that the changes affect routine visa processing and do not amount to the closure of the Abuja embassy.
The realignment covers routine nonimmigrant and immigrant visa services, including tourist and business visas, petition-based visas, family preference and employment-based immigrant visas.