The United States Mission in Nigeria has lifted the the 32-month restriction on drop box service or interview waiver for those renewing visas in the country.
Susan Tuller, US Mission Country Consular Coordinator announced this at a press conference in Lagos, said lifting of the restriction is in line with the commencement of expansion of its visa services to assist non-immigrant visa applicants in Nigeria who qualify to renew their visa.
Tulller said the 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.
However, the Mission said applicants must be applying to renew a visa in the same classification as their prior non-immigrant visa, adding, the number of qualified applicants who can apply using the new procedure will be limited initially.
The applicant must be a citizen or resident of Nigeria. The applicant must not have been refused a visa since the issuance of the previous visa, or had a visa revoked, or have ever required a waiver.
“The applicant possesses all issued passports covering the entire period since receiving the previous visa and the passport with the most recent visa.
“The applicant has never been arrested or convicted of any crime or offense in the United States, even if the applicant has later received a waiver or pardon.
“The applicant has never worked without authorization or remained beyond their permitted time in the United States. C1/D applicants must possess a letter from the employer outlining the scope, duration, and location of the anticipated work.”
The same criteria also apply to Lagos F or M visa holders and Abuja applicants with F1/F2 visas, while for J visa holders, the embassy said the visa must be for academic purposes.
“The applicant’s DS-2019 must be for an academic program (not summer work travel, au pair, or camp counselor,” the embassy said.
The embassy also instructed applicants to complete their applications using this link.
The following documents are to be mailed to the Abuja embassy via a designated document delivery DHL facility: “A printout of your submission letter (printed from https://ustraveldocs.com/ng/); completed DS-160; an approved I-20; a receipt for your I-901 SEVIS fee; a GTB (MRV) receipt for your visa fee; your passport containing the expired student visa (if that passport is expired, a current valid passport is also required).”
A passport photograph meeting these requirements; proof of continued full-time enrollment (such as transcripts, tuition payment, etc.) are also required
According to the embassy, only applicants with scheduled appointments can drop off documents at the US Consulate.