US embassy updates visa interview rules for Nigerians starting April 22
The United States Embassy has announced new requirements for Nigerian visa applicants, set to take effect on April 22, 2025.
According to a statement issued on Friday, all applicants attending interviews at the US embassies in Abuja and Lagos must present a DS-160 form with a confirmation barcode that begins with “AA” followed by two zeroes (00).
This barcode must exactly match the one used when scheduling the appointment online.
Applicants who arrive with mismatched barcode details will be denied access to the Consular Section and will not be allowed to proceed with their interviews.
“Starting April 22, 2025, all visa applicants in Abuja and Lagos must bring a DS-160 visa application form with a confirmation/barcode number (starting with AA and followed by 00 – two zeroes) that matches the one used to make their appointment online,” the embassy stated.
“You also must make your appointment in the location you selected when filling out your DS-160.”
The embassy urges applicants to verify that their DS-160 barcode matches their appointment details at least two weeks before the interview.
It also clarified that DS-160 forms from previous applications cannot be reused.
If there is an error or mismatch, applicants must log into their AVITS account and submit a correction request at least 10 days before their scheduled appointment.
“If your DS-160 barcode is incorrect, you must log into your AVITS account at least 10 days before your appointment to create a support ticket requesting correction,” the statement added.
Appointments must be scheduled at the same location selected on the DS-160 form.
Those turned away due to barcode discrepancies must fix the issue and book a new appointment. If the visa fee has expired, a new payment will be required.
In addition, since January 1, all applicants are required to visit the US Consulate General in Lagos twice during the visa process.
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