In a statement shared on its official X page on Tuesday, Dec. 10, the embassy revealed that applicants with scheduled interviews will now be required to visit the Consulate General in Lagos twice during the visa process.

The announcement read, “For applicants with interviews scheduled after January 1, 2025, you are required to visit the Consulate General in Lagos at least twice during the immigrant visa process.

This new process is designed to help you prepare for your visa interview and to prevent significant delays in processing your immigrant visa.”

Details on the embassy’s website indicate that the first visit will be for an In-Person Document Review with a consular staff member.

The purpose of this review is to ensure that applicants have all the necessary documents prepared for their visa interviews.

The second visit will involve the visa interview with a Consular Officer. This interview will be scheduled by the National Visa Center (NVC).

The statement added: “This review ensures that applicants are prepared for their visa interviews.

“The review allows applicants to retrieve any missing documents ahead of their visa interviews, helping to avoid delays in application processing.

“The second interview, on the other hand, is with a Consular Officer. The date for this interview will be scheduled for applicants by the National Visa Center (NVC).

The embassy also cautioned applicants, stating, “If you do not complete the In-Person Document Review before your visa interview, you will be required to reschedule your appointment.”

According to the Embassy, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency received the vaccines and ensured that they were taken to cold storage in preparation for distribution to over 3,000 health facilities across all 36 states and the FCT.

The Embassy also listed efforts the US government had made to support the Nigerian government in its mass vaccination campaign stating that it had donated over 13 million doses to Nigeria in partnership with COVAX.

“To date, the United States has donated more than 13.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine in partnership with COVAX, or bilaterally to Nigeria. Additionally, the United States has provided more than $119 million in COVID-19 related health assistance,” the Embassy stated.

“This includes a 40-bed mobile field hospital, ventilators and related training for 88 hospitals, personal protective equipment, technical assistance for vaccine readiness, risk communication and demand generation for vaccines, conducting an epidemiological COVID-19 detection and vaccine hesitancy survey, setting up electronic record systems, rapid response teams, training for over 200,000 military and civilian personnel on COVID-19 control measures, and technology for virtual training.

“In addition, the United States leveraged the PEPFAR-supported National Integrated Specimen Referral Network and laboratory investments to support the expansion of the NCDC (153) molecular laboratory network nationwide.”

The donated vaccine doses will help Nigeria’s mass vaccination drive, which the government plans to make available at major markets, shopping malls, event centres, motor parks, airports, places of employment, and religious institutions.