The United States Embassy in Abuja has halted the processing of routine visa applications, directing applicants to the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos for these services.
The embassy announced the change in a reminder shared on its official X account, noting that the new arrangement took effect on August 1, 2026.
The embassy said, “Routine visa services are only available at the Consulate General in Lagos. Effective August 1, 2026, U.S. Embassy Abuja no longer processes routine visa applications.”
However, applicants who had already secured appointments will still be attended to, although some appointment dates may have been changed.
“All applicants who already have scheduled appointments will be honored; however, those dates may have been rescheduled. Those with appointments in Abuja should check their email for their new appointment date,” the embassy said.
Applicants who have unused and valid MRV visa application fee receipts can also use them to book new appointments at the U.S. Consulate in Lagos.
“Additionally, applicants holding an unused and still-valid MRV (visa application) fee receipt may use it to schedule a new appointment at U.S. Consulate Lagos,” it added.
The adjustment follows a decision by the U.S. Department of State to reorganise routine visa operations across Africa, with selected locations serving as regional processing hubs.
According to the department, the realignment is intended to strengthen national security by promoting more consistent screening, vetting and adjudication standards, while also improving the efficiency of visa processing.
Under the new arrangement, Lagos has been designated Nigeria’s regional visa hub. Other designated centres include Accra, Abidjan, Addis Ababa, Dakar, Johannesburg, Nairobi and Yaoundé.
The change does not mean the U.S. Embassy in Abuja has been closed. The U.S. government previously clarified that the adjustment only concerns routine visa processing.
The State Department said the realignment covers both routine nonimmigrant and immigrant visa services. These include tourist and business visas, petition-based visas, family preference visas and employment-based immigrant visas, among other categories.
