With the roll-out of the limited pilot no-interview visa renewal programme, some applicants have rushed to passport dropbox appointments with expired visas older than 24 months, the U.S. Mission Nigeria said on Thursday.
A message from the consular section posted on its twitter handle advised that applicants check their passport before applying for an appointment to ensure it is accepted upon delivery.
“You can check the requirements at ustraveldocs.com as well as ng.usembassey.gov, official sources for accurate information. We hope to have more appointments open soon,” it stated.
The U.S. Mission Nigeria on Tuesday officially launched a new visa renewal known as ‘No interview renewals.’
Susan Tuller, U.S Mission country consular coordinator, said the new application procedure will begin in February at the U.S. Consulate in Lagos and will be extended shortly thereafter to the U.S. Embassy in Abuja.
The number of qualified applicants who can apply using the new procedure will be limited initially, she said.
Read also: US Consulate explains new visa programme, says not drop box
Tuller noted that processing times for the program are expected to be up to two months and applicants would not be able to retrieve their passport during that time.
Each applicant must individually meet the criteria; minors can apply without an interview only if they meet the eligibility criteria on their own.
Applicants must meet the following criteria: “Your previous visa was issued in Nigeria; Your previous visa is in the same classification as your current application; Your previous visa was a full validity, multiple entry visa; Your previous visa expired within the last 24 months or will expire in the next 3 months from the date of application; You have all your passports covering the entire period since receiving the previous visa and the passport with the most recent visa; You have never been arrested or convicted of any crime or offense in the United States, even if you later received a waiver or pardon; and You have never worked without authorization or remained beyond your permitted time in the United States”.
Those eligible for a Visa renewal without an interview include applicants for B1/B2, F, M, J (academic only), H, L, or CI/D (combined only) Visa.
