U.S. Embassy Shifts Visa Processing from Abuja to Lagos

The United States Embassy in Abuja has stopped processing routine visa applications and has directed applicants to the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos, effective August 1, 2026.

This announcement was made via the embassy's official X account. The embassy clarified that applicants with previously scheduled appointments would still be accommodated, although some dates may have been rescheduled.

Those holding unused and valid MRV visa application fee receipts can use them to schedule new appointments at the U.S. Consulate in Lagos.

This decision follows the U.S. Department of State's initiative to realign routine visa operations across Africa to designated regional hubs, which aims to strengthen national security through uniform screening and improve efficiency.

Lagos has been designated as Nigeria's regional visa hub, alongside other cities such as Accra, Abidjan, Addis Ababa, Dakar, Johannesburg, Nairobi, and Yaoundé. The U.S. government emphasized that this change pertains only to routine visa processing and does not indicate the closure of the Abuja embassy.