US Embassy announces new visa interview requirements for Nigerian applicants

The United States mission has introduced new guidelines for visa interviews, affecting Nigerian travellers. These changes are set to go into effect on April 22, 2025.

According to a statement released on the mission’s website on Friday, applicants in Abuja and Lagos will need to present a DS-160 visa application form, complete with a confirmation or barcode number starting with “AA” and followed by two zeroes. The barcode must match the one used when scheduling the visa appointment online.

The embassy warned that discrepancies between the barcode on the DS-160 form and the appointment confirmation could lead to a denial of entry to the consular section, as well as a cancellation of the visa interview.

“At least two weeks before your interview, please double-check that the barcode number on your DS-160 form matches the one you used to schedule your appointment,” the embassy advised. “You cannot reuse a DS-160 from a previous application. 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 of your barcode number.”

Applicants are also reminded to ensure that their appointment is booked at the location they selected during the DS-160 application process. The updates are part of the consulate’s efforts to streamline visa processing.

Since January 1, all visa applicants have been required to visit the Consulate General in Lagos twice as part of the application procedure.