US stops drop box visa service in Nigeria

US stops drop box visa service in Nigeria

The United States has discontinued the drop box visa processing option for applicants in Nigeria, signaling a major change in the way visa renewals are handled.

Sources confirmed that the service, which allowed eligible individuals to renew their visas without attending an in-person interview, has been removed from the appointment booking system.

While there has been no official statement from the US Embassy in Nigeria regarding this update, applicants attempting to schedule renewals have reported the disappearance of the drop box feature from the platform.

Several individuals who spoke on the development mentioned they have been unable to access the option, hinting at its possible removal. Sources indicate that the change could be related to various executive orders from Donald Trump’s administration, which have had global consequences.

This shift comes amid a growing backlog of visa applications, with many applicants previously having to wait several months to secure drop box appointments. Some have even experienced delays of nearly a year in securing an in-person interview, compounding frustrations over an already difficult process.

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The move follows a period when long wait times were already a challenge, with some applicants struggling to get an appointment for up to a year. As of January, the drop box service was unavailable in Lagos, forcing many to seek alternatives in Abuja. Now, with the complete removal of the feature, all applicants will be required to attend in-person interviews, effectively returning to the process that existed before 2020.

The drop box program, also known as the Interview Waiver, was originally introduced to simplify visa renewals for certain applicants, enabling them to submit documents without attending an interview at the US Embassy or Consulate. Eligible applicants had to meet specific criteria, including having a visa that expired within the past 24 months, having a prior US visa issued in Nigeria, applying for the same visa type, and having no record of overstaying or legal violations in the US.

In August 2020, the US Department of State expanded the program’s eligibility during the pandemic, allowing applicants whose visas had expired within 48 months to use the drop box system. This was intended to streamline the process while minimizing in-person interactions due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The drop box service has faced suspensions before; in 2018, during the first administration of Donald Trump, it was removed due to concerns over visa overstays by Nigerian travelers. At that time, the US government required in-person interviews for all applicants, leading to longer processing times and delays.

Now, with the drop box service completely eliminated, Nigerians applying for US visas will be required to attend in-person interviews once again, further extending the already lengthy waiting periods. This policy change is likely to affect business travelers, students, and frequent visitors who had previously relied on the drop box system to expedite their visa renewals.

US stops drop box visa service in Nigeria