The US Mission has announced that it will commence a no-interview visa renewal program in Nigeria.
After the launch of the initiative, it will be evaluated based on fraud and workload factors before possible scaling and expansion and will commence in Lagos this month.
The US mission in a statement on its official website explained that the initiative is part of its continuous commitment to expand and innovate consular services despite the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The U.S. Mission will expand visa services to assist non-immigrant visa applicants in Nigeria who qualify to renew their visa.
“This new application procedure will begin in February at the U.S. Consulate in Lagos and will be extended shortly thereafter to the U.S. Embassy in Abuja.
“The number of qualified applicants who can apply using the new procedures will be limited initially,” the statement on the US Embassy read in part.
Conditions for qualification for the non-interview visa renewal include application for a B1/B2, F, M, J (academic only), H, L or C1/D (combined only) visa.
Other conditions are:
“Your previous visa was issued in Nigeria;
“Your previous visa is in the same classification as your current application;
“Your previous visa was a full validity, multiple entry visa;
“ Your previous visa expired within the last 24 months or will expire in the next 3 months from the date of application;
“ You have all your passports covering the entire period since receiving the previous visa and the passport with the most recent visa;
“ You have never been arrested or convicted of any crime or offense in the United States, even if you later received a waiver or pardon; and
“ You have never worked without authorization or remained beyond your permitted time in the United States.”
Applicants who meet these conditions can start their application immediately.
Processing times for the program are expected to be up to two months and applicants will not be able to retrieve their passports during that time.
