The United States has announced that routine visa services at its embassy in Abuja and 24 other diplomatic posts across Africa will be discontinued effective Saturday, as part of a broader realignment to regional processing hubs.
The US Department of State said the change was aimed at strengthening national security, cutting government waste and ensuring more uniform screening, vetting and adjudication standards across its overseas visa operations.
The department advised citizens and residents of affected countries wishing to apply for a visa on or after August 1 to schedule appointments and pay required fees at designated non immigrant or immigrant visa processing locations.
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The change is expected to affect thousands of Nigerian applicants who currently process US visas in Abuja, potentially requiring them to travel to Lagos or other designated regional hubs on the continent.
The realignment adds to a series of changes in US immigration and visa policy under the current administration, which has emphasised prioritising American national interests in its overseas operational decisions.
Nigerian travel agencies and visa applicants are expected to face disruption in the short term as the new processing arrangements take effect, with authorities yet to clarify the specific timeline for restoring full services in Abuja.
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