The US embassy in Nigeria has said that the U.S Embassy Abuja and Consulate General Lagos, will remain open for all consular business, including visa interviews.
The embassy yesterday tweeted that all applicants should attend their regularly scheduled interviews.
This development is coming few days after the US embassy in Nigeria said in a Facebook post that recent inability to conduct Visa interviews was caused by the government shutdown in the US.
The statement had read, “Due to the current US government shutdown, the American centres located in the embassy, Abuja and Consulate-General, Lagos are unfortunately closed. They will re-open once the US government shutdown is resolved. Sorry for any inconvenience to our valued patrons.”
There were concerns that with the US government shutdown, thousands of Nigerians scheduled to leave for the US any time from now will be affected and their visa interviews postponed indefinitely.
The embassy has now allayed those fears.
“Please attend your regularly scheduled interview,” the embassy tweeted, much to the relief of many.
The executive arm of government led by President Donald Trump and the legislative arm have been at loggerheads for nearly two month over Trump’s attempt to build a wall along the Mexican border.
Meanwhile Nigerians who had applied for United States visas and whose interviews fell between 28th of December 2018 and 2nd of January 2019 are lamenting missing their appointments after an earlier announcement by the US consulate that it would be closed.
Some people took to their tweeter handle to lament that they had missed their visa interviews over the earlier announcement by the US embassy.
“Thousands of people scheduled today for interview have been disenfranchised already with this conflicting news. Money lost, no Visa they are just ripping us off legally,” Akewu stated in his tweeter handle @Akewu2.
Another person with a tweeter handle @shamrock80s, tweeted “This is so sad. I got the shutdown news and I had to cancel my trip to Abuja this morning. Now this news just popped up from nowhere, how do I fly from Akwa Ibom to Abuja to attend my interview scheduled for 7.30am? This is so mean.”
The new statement from the US embassy, said that American Centers and Education USA offices operating on embassy and consulate grounds that are managed by Mission Public Affairs Sections will remain closed throughout the shutdown.
American Spaces, such as American Corners operated by partner institutions and located off embassy or consulate grounds, however, will remain open, the statement added.
IFEOMA OKEKE, Lagos and INNOCENT ODOH, Abuja
