The United States Embassy in Nigeria has assured that its visa and passport services remain operational, despite the ongoing partial shutdown of the US government.
In a statement released Wednesday on its official X account, the embassy clarified that consular services in Nigeria and across US embassies worldwide would continue during the funding lapse, subject to available resources.
“Due to the lapse in appropriations, this X account will not be updated regularly until full operations resume, with the exception of urgent safety and security information,” the embassy noted.
It explained that visa interviews, passport renewals, and related consular services will go ahead as scheduled, easing fears among Nigerians planning travel to the United States.
The shutdown in Washington followed a budget impasse between President Donald Trump and US lawmakers over healthcare funding. It has forced several federal agencies to halt operations, leaving nearly 750,000 federal workers facing unpaid furloughs.
While essential services such as the military, postal service, and welfare programs like Social Security remain unaffected, non-essential services have been scaled down.
This latest shutdown is the first since the record-breaking 35-day closure nearly seven years ago, also under Trump’s administration.
The US has witnessed 21 shutdowns since 1976, when the modern budget system was first introduced.
The embassy has urged Nigerians to consult travel.state.gov for official updates on visa and passport services, as its social media updates will remain limited during the funding lapse.
