Victor EzejaThe United States Mission in Nigeria has announced an increase of its tourist or visitor visa validity from 24 months (two years) to 60 months (five years) for Nigerians who want to enter the United States temporarily for business and/or tourism.
The Mission says that the visa validity extension which takes effect from Wednesday, March 1, 2023, allows Nigerians to use the visa for 60 months to make short trips to the United States for tourism or business purposes before having to renew their visa.
It said the visa application fee, which is currently USD$160, will not increase as a result of the increased visa validity.
The Mission explained that increasing visa validity is one of several initiatives taken by the United States to reduce visa appointment wait times in Nigeria. “The U.S. Mission continues to offer No-Interview Visa Renewals to those who meet the eligibility criteria. Appointments for No-Interview Visa Renewals are readily available,” a statement from the United States Diplomatic Mission to Nigeria Public Affairs Section indicated.
READ ALSO: US Mission Extends Interview Waiver For Nonimmigrant Visa Renewals To 48 Months
Further information about the visa programme is stated below:
No-Interview Visa Renewal
You may be eligible for a visa renewal without an interview if your application is for a B1/B2, F, M, J (academic only), H, L, or C1/D (combined only) visa, AND you meet each of the following criteria:
- You are physically present in Nigeria.
- 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 48 months or will expire in the next three 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 offense in the United States, even if you later received a waiver or pardon.
- You have never worked without authorization or remained beyond your permitted time in the United States.
Please visit the website at https://ng.usembassy.gov/visas/nonimmigrant-visas/for further information.
If you are qualified based on the above criteria, visit https://www.ustraveldocs.com/ng to start your application.
Please note that processing times for the program are expected to be up to two months and you will not be able to retrieve your passport during that time.
Each applicant must individually meet the criteria; minors can apply without an interview only if they meet the eligibility criteria on their own.
Emergency Appointments
If you have a life-or-death emergency, you may request an expedited, in-person interview; however, to accommodate No-Interview Visa Renewals, appointments will be very limited.
Business travel, conferences, weddings, and graduations are not considered emergencies. If you have an emergency and need to travel immediately, please follow the guidance provided at https://www.ustraveldocs.com/ngor +234-1-227-8955 to request an emergency appointment.
Special Note: Third parties unaffiliated with the U.S. Embassy Abuja and Consulate General Lagos may seek to take advantage of various visa services to target visa applicants with fraudulent offers or claims.
Applicants should fill out their own forms and make their appointments themselves via the official websites.
As future opportunities for Interview Waiver appointments become available, they will be communicated via our website.
Remember to rely on information only from genuine sources: https://travel.state.gov, https://ng.usembassy.gov/visas/, and https://www.ustraveldocs.com/ng.
Avoid becoming the victim of a scam!
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with six years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Masters degree in Mass Communication.
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