US Embassy Introduces New Visa Interview Rules for Nigerians

The United States Embassy has introduced new requirements for Nigerians applying for visas, set to take effect from April 22. In a statement released on Friday, the embassy outlined updated procedures for applicants attending interviews in Abuja and Lagos.

All applicants must now present a DS-160 visa application form that includes a confirmation barcode beginning with “AA” followed by two zeroes. The barcode must exactly match the number used when scheduling the visa appointment online. Failure to ensure this match will result in denial of entry into the consular section and the interview will not proceed.

The embassy emphasized the importance of verifying this information at least two weeks prior to the scheduled interview. Reusing a DS-160 form from a previous application is not allowed. If an applicant finds an error in their barcode, they must log into their AVITS account and submit a support ticket to correct it at least 10 days before their appointment.

In addition, applicants must attend their interview at the location selected during the DS-160 application process. These new steps are part of the embassy’s ongoing efforts to streamline visa processing.

As part of previous changes rolled out at the start of the year, all applicants are also required to visit the Consulate General in Lagos twice during the visa application process.