Key points
- The Nigeria Immigration Service has suspended the services of OIS Services, operator of Nigeria’s Visa Application Centres in the United States.
- The suspension took effect from July 1 and will remain in place until further notice.
- Visa applicants must now submit applications directly at Nigeria’s embassy in Washington, D.C., or consulates in New York and Atlanta.
- The NIS says Nigeria’s e-Visa platform remains fully operational.
Main story
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has suspended the operations of Online Integrated Solution (OIS Services), the company responsible for managing Nigeria’s Visa Application Centres in the United States, prompting changes to the country’s visa application process for travellers in the U.S.
The suspension, which took effect on July 1, will remain in force until further notice and affects prospective visitors to Nigeria as well as Nigerians in the United States requiring visa-related services.
Following the decision, applicants are now required to submit visa applications directly at the Embassy of Nigeria in Washington, D.C., or the country’s Consulates General in New York and Atlanta instead of using the Visa Application Centres.
The NIS clarified that the measure applies only to physical visa application submissions handled through the affected centres and does not extend to Nigeria’s electronic visa platform.
According to the Service, applicants seeking e-Visas can continue using the official online portal without interruption.
The immigration agency also assured travellers that arrangements have been made to ensure visa applications continue to be processed efficiently despite the suspension.
It advised applicants to rely on official communication channels of both the NIS and Nigerian diplomatic missions in the United States for updates on visa application procedures while the suspension remains in effect.
The issues
The suspension temporarily changes how Nigerian visas are processed in the United States, requiring applicants who previously used Visa Application Centres to deal directly with Nigerian diplomatic missions. The move is intended to maintain visa services while the NIS reviews arrangements with the affected service provider.
What’s being said
“Applicants can continue to apply for e-Visas through the official online portal.” — Akinsola Akinlabi, Service Public Relations Officer, Nigeria Immigration Service
What’s next
The suspension will remain in effect until the NIS announces further directives. In the meantime, visa applicants in the United States are expected to use Nigerian embassies and consulates for physical applications or the e-Visa platform where applicable.
Bottom line
The NIS has temporarily overhauled its visa application process in the United States by suspending its outsourced visa centre operator while maintaining access to consular services and Nigeria’s online visa system.
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