By Goria Nosa
US Embassy Introduces New Visa Interview Requirements for Nigerians
The United States Embassy has introduced updated requirements for Nigerian visa applicants, effective from April 22, 2025.
In a statement released by the US Mission on Friday, all applicants attending visa interviews in Abuja and Lagos must present a DS-160 visa application form that includes a confirmation barcode beginning with “AA00”. This barcode must exactly match the one used when scheduling the visa appointment online.
The embassy emphasized that applicants who fail to present matching barcode information will be denied entry to the consular section and will not be allowed to attend their interview.
“Starting April 22, 2025, all visa applicants in Abuja and Lagos must bring a DS-160 visa application form with a confirmation/barcode number (starting with AA and followed by 00) that matches the one used to make their appointment online,” the statement read. “You must also attend your appointment at the location selected in your DS-160.”
To avoid disqualification, applicants are strongly advised to confirm that the barcode number on their DS-160 form matches their scheduled appointment details at least two weeks before their interview date.
The embassy further clarified that previously submitted DS-160 forms cannot be reused. If an applicant discovers a mismatch, they are instructed to log into their AVITS account and submit a correction request no later than 10 days before their interview.
“If your DS-160 barcode is incorrect, you must log into your AVITS account and create a support ticket at least 10 days before your appointment to request correction,” the mission stated.
Additionally, the US Embassy reminded applicants that interviews must be scheduled at the same location selected during the DS-160 application process. Failure to do so could result in being turned away.
Applicants who are denied entry due to mismatched information must correct the issue and reschedule a new appointment through their AVITS account. If their visa fee has expired, they may also be required to pay a new fee before rebooking.
These changes are part of the embassy’s ongoing efforts to streamline visa processing and minimize administrative errors.
