The United States Embassy has advised visa applicants with interviews scheduled after January 1, 2025, to visit the Consulate General in Lagos at least twice during their immigration visa process.

The US Embassy announced this directive on its official X (formerly Twitter) page on Tuesday, stating:

“For applicants with interviews scheduled after January 1, 2025, you are required to visit the Consulate General in Lagos at least twice during the immigrant visa process.

“This new process is designed to help you prepare for your visa interview and to prevent significant delays in processing your immigrant visa.”

Additional information from its website, as seen by The Guardian, states that the first visit to the US Consulate in Lagos is for an In-Person Document Review with a consular staff member. This review ensures that applicants are prepared for their visa interviews.

According to the US Embassy, the review allows applicants to retrieve any missing documents ahead of their visa interviews, helping to avoid delays in application processing.

The second Interview, on the other hand, is with a Consular Officer. The date for this interview will be scheduled for applicants by the National Visa Center (NVC).

“If you do not complete the In-Person Document Review before your visa interview, you will be required to reschedule your appointment,” the US Embassy added. (The Guardian)