The United States Department of State has introduced a sweeping change to its visa application procedures, announcing that all non-immigrant visa applicants will now be required to attend interviews at the US Embassy or Consulate located in their country of nationality or residence.
This updated directive, which took immediate effect on September 6, 2025, was officially published on the State Department’s visa portal and replaces earlier guidelines on where applicants could schedule their visa interviews.
According to the Department, the policy is aimed at streamlining the application process and ensuring better oversight of visa adjudications, particularly as Washington continues to grapple with global backlogs and heightened security protocols.
Policy Details and Key Restrictions
In its release, the Department clarified that nationals of countries where the United States does not operate routine non-immigrant visa services will have to apply through specially designated embassies or consulates. These arrangements affect applicants from politically sensitive or conflict-ridden states such as:
- Afghanistan: Islamabad, Pakistan
- Belarus: Vilnius, Lithuania or Warsaw, Poland
- Cuba: Georgetown, Guyana
- Iran: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- Russia: Astana, Kazakhstan or Warsaw, Poland
- Venezuela: Bogotá, Colombia
- Yemen: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
The Department further issued three critical points of caution for prospective applicants:
- Proof of Residency: Applicants must demonstrate legal residence in the country where they are submitting their application, especially if they are applying outside their nationality.
- Application Fees: Scheduling an interview in a country other than one’s residence or nationality could make approval more difficult. Application fees remain non-refundable and cannot be transferred.
- Longer Wait Times: Those applying outside their residence or nationality should expect substantially longer appointment delays.
Despite the new rules, previously scheduled appointments will not generally be cancelled, the Department assured. The policy also excludes diplomatic, NATO, and UN-related visa categories.
Exceptions, however, may be granted in cases of urgent humanitarian or medical needs, as well as for overriding foreign policy considerations. Applicants are encouraged to regularly check their local embassy or consulate’s website for updated requirements and wait times.
Implications for Nigerian Applicants
The new directive is expected to have significant consequences for Nigerian visa seekers. For many years, Nigerians who could not secure interview slots in Abuja or Lagos often turned to neighbouring countries such as Ghana, Cameroon, Namibia, or even far-off destinations like Canada and the Dominican Republic in order to expedite the process.
Under the updated framework, Nigerians—like all other applicants worldwide—are now required to undergo interviews exclusively within their country of residence or nationality.
Given Nigeria’s already lengthy wait times for visa appointments, the policy change could add new hurdles to an already challenging process, forcing applicants to adjust their strategies and timelines.
A Global Shift in US Visa Adjudication
This overhaul reflects Washington’s effort to modernise and tighten its visa processing system while balancing international demand with domestic security interests. By confining interviews to embassies and consulates in an applicant’s home country, US officials believe they can better manage resources, ensure consistency in decision-making, and limit loopholes that previously allowed applicants to “visa shop” across multiple regions.
For thousands of hopeful travellers, however, the change represents another layer of complexity in securing entry into the United States.
