In a statement issued to Nairametrics by the United States Diplomatic Mission, Public Affairs Section, the statement noted that the number of qualified applicants who can apply using the new procedures will be initially limited.
The new procedure which entails no-interview visa renewal will commence in February at the U.S. Consulate in Lagos and will be extended to the U.S embassy in Abuja thereafter.
The statement said that processing time for the program is expected to be up to two months and applicants will not be able to retrieve their passports during that time.
Each applicant must individually meet the criteria and minors can apply without an interview only if they meet the eligibility criteria on their own.
For those who have appointments that have to do with a life-or-death emergency, they are required to request an expedited, in-person interview. Business travel, conferences, weddings, and graduations are not considered emergencies according to the Statement.
The U.S consulate warned eligible applicants to only apply by themselves through the official website shown below as third parties that are not affiliated with the U.S. Embassy Abuja, and Consulate General Lagos may want to take advantage of various visa services to target visa applicants with fraudulent offers or claims: https://ng.usembassy.gov/visas/
Those who are eligible
The embassy said in order to accommodate No-Interview Visa Renewals, appointments will be very limited. Eligible applicants are those whose application is for a B1/B2, F, M, J (academic only), H, L or C1/D (combined only) visa.
Those who meet the following requirements below are those who are eligible to apply:
Your previous visa was issued in Nigeria and is in the same classification as your current application.
Your previous visa was a full validity, multiple entry visa and 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 offence in the United States, even if you later received a waiver or pardon; and those that have never worked without authorization or remained beyond their permitted time in the United States.
Those qualified based on the above criteria are enjoined to visit https://www.ustraveldocs.com/ng to start their application.
Credit:Nairametrics
