Nigerians applying for routine United States visas in Abuja will now have to travel to Lagos, following a decision by the US Embassy to halt the processing of such applications in the Federal Capital Territory.
The new arrangement, which took effect on August 1, 2026, means routine visa services in Nigeria are now being handled exclusively by the US Consulate General in Lagos.
The development was contained in the latest visa advisory issued by the US authorities.
Applicants who had secured appointments at the US Embassy in Abuja before the policy took effect, however, will not automatically lose their appointments.
According to the advisory, the embassy will honour previously scheduled appointments, although some applicants may be assigned new dates.
Those affected have been advised to monitor their email addresses regularly for notifications from the embassy regarding any changes to their appointment schedules.
The US authorities stated: “Routine visa services are only available at Consulate General Lagos. Effective August 1, 2026, U.S. Embassy Abuja no longer processes routine visa applications.”
The advisory further explained that applicants with unused and valid MRV visa application fee receipts would be able to use them to schedule fresh appointments at the Lagos consulate.
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The change does not mean all US visa-related services have been withdrawn from Abuja, but applicants seeking routine visa processing are now expected to use the Lagos facility.
Prospective applicants have consequently been advised to consult the official US visa appointment platform for up-to-date information on available services, appointment locations and operating hours.
The development is expected to particularly affect applicants based in Abuja and other parts of northern Nigeria who previously relied on the US Embassy in the capital for routine visa applications.