Abuja Ends Routine US Visa Services as Lagos Takes Over

The United States Mission in Nigeria has reminded Nigerians that routine visa services at its Embassy in Abuja officially ended on August 1, 2026.

According to the mission, all applicants seeking US visas must now process their applications through the US Consulate General in Lagos, which has been designated as the new regional visa processing hub.
The reminder was issued in a fresh statement posted on the mission’s social media platforms on Friday, following an earlier announcement that the change forms part of a wider reorganisation of US visa operations across Africa.
The mission explained that the US Department of State is consolidating visa processing at selected regional hubs as part of a long-standing policy aimed at strengthening national security through more consistent screening, vetting and adjudication standards. It added that the move is also intended to improve operational efficiency while aligning with evolving US immigration policy priorities.
It reiterated that Nigerian citizens and residents wishing to apply for US visas must schedule appointments and pay the required visa fees at the US Consulate in Lagos, now the designated processing centre.
In an earlier notice published on its website, the US Department of State said the safety and security of Americans remain the Trump administration’s top priority, noting that the restructuring is part of broader efforts to put “America and Americans first.”
The department stated that it continually reviews its overseas operations to ensure resources are deployed efficiently in support of US national interests while maintaining strict security screening procedures.
It clarified that embassies and consulates affected by the changes will remain operational, continuing to provide services to American citizens even though routine visa processing has been relocated.
Under the new arrangement, 20 cities across Africa—including Lagos, Abidjan, Accra, Addis Ababa, Cape Town, Dakar, Nairobi, Johannesburg and Kinshasa—have been designated as regional visa hubs. Abuja is among 25 locations that will now provide only American Citizen Services and limited non-immigrant visa services, while Bangui and Khartoum will no longer conduct consular visa operations.
The restructuring affects both immigrant and non-immigrant visa categories, including tourist, business and petition-based visas, as well as immediate relative, family preference, employment-based, fiancé/fiancée, adoption, diversity visa and follow-to-join asylee and refugee cases.
The department also noted that existing visa suspensions under Presidential Proclamation 10998, visa bond requirements and immigrant visa pauses for certain nationalities remain unchanged.
Applicants with existing appointments at affected missions were advised to check their emails for further instructions. The department also warned that visa fees paid at posts offering limited services from August 1 would not be refunded if appointments were not booked by July 31.
It further stated that immigrant visa applicants may complete their required medical examinations in their home country where an approved panel physician is available, or at their designated regional visa hub where necessary.