The United States government has ended the long-standing practice of non-immigrant visa applicants seeking interview appointments in neighbouring countries, a move that will affect many Nigerians who have relied on this option due to long wait times at U.S. missions in Lagos and Abuja.

In a directive released on September 6, 2025, the Department of State announced that applicants must now “schedule their visa interviews at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in their country of nationality or residence.”

The new instruction replaces previous guidelines that allowed nationals to apply in third countries if appointments were unavailable at home.

The policy means Nigerians who previously turned to Ghana, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Namibia, Canada, or even the Dominican Republic to fast-track appointments will no longer have that option.

According to the Department, “applicants who schedule interviews outside their country of nationality or residence might find it more difficult to qualify for a visa. Fees paid for such applications will not be refunded and cannot be transferred.”

The change also comes with warnings of longer wait times and the need to show proof of residence in the country of application. Exceptions will only be made in cases of “humanitarian or medical emergencies or foreign policy reasons.”

While existing appointments will generally not be cancelled, the Department of State stressed that the update is part of wider efforts to “streamline nonimmigrant visa adjudications” and reduce global backlogs.

For countries where the U.S. does not operate regular visa services, nationals are assigned to designated embassies. For example, Iranians must apply in Dubai, Cubans in Georgetown, and Russians in Astana or Warsaw.

The new rules, however, do not apply to diplomatic, NATO, or UN-related visas.

With the enforcement of this directive, Nigerians seeking U.S. visas must now work strictly with the consular offices in Abuja or Lagos, despite persistent appointment delays.