US Ends Routine Visa Services in Abuja, Moves Operations to Lagos

The US Mission in Nigeria has reminded Nigerians that routine visa services at the embassy in Abuja will end from August 1, 2026.

The mission reiterated that applicants must henceforth process their visas at the Consulate General in Lagos, the newly designated regional hub.

The US Mission in Nigeria issued the reminder in a fresh statement on its social media platforms on Friday, days after it first disclosed the policy as part of a broader realignment of visa operations across Africa.

The mission again explained that the US Department of State was consolidating visa processing at select regional hubs as part of a long-standing practice that strengthens national security by promoting more uniform screening, vetting and adjudication standards.

It reiterated that the realignment was also aimed at improving efficiency and adjusting to shifting US immigration policy priorities and objectives.

“Citizens and residents of Nigeria who wish to apply for a visa must schedule an appointment and pay the required visa fee at US Consulate Lagos, the new designated location,” the mission repeated in the latest notice.

In a more detailed notice on its website, first published earlier in the month, the State Department had said the Trump administration had no higher priority than the safety and security of Americans, describing the changes as part of efforts to put “America and Americans first.”