*The United States Mission in Nigeria announces commencement of a ‘no-interview’ visa renewal programme in its effort at expanding and innovating consular services in the West African country

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

As part of the its commitment to expanding and innovating consular services, the  United States (US) Mission in Nigeria has announced that it will commence a ‘no-interview’ visa renewal programme in the West African country.

ConsumerConnect reports the US Mission, in a statement published on its official Web site, said the initiative would be part of its commitment to expanding and innovating consular services, despite the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the Mission, after the launch of the visa renewal initiative, it will be evaluated based on fraud and workload factors before possible scaling, expansion, and will commence February 2022, in Lagos.

The statement also noted: “The US Mission will expand visa services to assist non-immigrant visa applicants in Nigeria who qualify to renew their visa.

“This new application procedure will begin in February at the US Consulate in Lagos and will be extended shortly thereafter to the US Embassy, in Abuja.”

The US Mission said: “The number of qualified applicants who can apply using the new procedures will be limited initially.”

Among other conditions for qualification for the non-interview visa renewal are applications for a B1/B2, F, M, J (academic only), H, L or C1/D (combined only) visa.

Others include the following:

• Your previous visa was issued in Nigeria;
• Your previous visa is in the same classification as your current application;
• Your previous visa was a full validity, multiple entry visa;
• Your previous visa expired within the last 24 months or will expire in the next 3 months from the date of application;
• You have all your passports covering the entire period since receiving the previous visa and the passport with the most recent visa;
• You have never been arrested or convicted of any crime or offence in the United States, even if you later received a waiver or pardon; and
• You have never worked without authorisation or remained beyond your permitted time in the United States.

Applicants who meet these conditions can start their application immediately.

Processing times for the programme are expected to be up to two months, and applicants will not be able to retrieve their passports during that time, said the US Mission in the country.