Nigerians seeking routine United States visas in Abuja will now have to travel to Lagos for the service, following the decision by the US Embassy to stop processing routine visa applications at its Abuja mission.

The embassy said the change took effect on August 1, 2026, meaning that routine visa processing in Nigeria is now being handled exclusively by the US Consulate General in Lagos.

The mission restated the policy in a reminder posted on its official X account, advising applicants to direct their routine visa applications to the Lagos consulate rather than the Abuja embassy.

The development is particularly significant for applicants in Abuja and other parts of northern Nigeria who had previously relied on the capital-based embassy for routine visa services and may now have to make arrangements to travel to Lagos.

The embassy, however, said the new arrangement would not invalidate appointments already scheduled in Abuja. Applicants with existing appointments will still be attended to, although some dates may have been changed.

“Those with appointments in Abuja should check their email for their new appointment date,” the embassy advised, indicating that affected applicants are expected to rely on official correspondence for updated schedules.

The US mission also provided an option for applicants who had paid visa application fees but had not yet used their receipts. Holders of unused and still-valid Machine Readable Visa (MRV) fee receipts can use them to schedule fresh appointments at the Lagos consulate.

The latest arrangement effectively concentrates routine US visa services in Lagos, while applicants affected by the change are expected to monitor their emails and follow the consulate’s instructions when rescheduling or booking appointments.