US embassy waives interview for those previously granted visas
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Nigerian students returning to the United States who have not violated visa and other rules can now use Drop Box service to renew their visa without attending an interview at the US Consulate in Abuja and Lagos.
The US embassy had in January resumed Drop Box service or interview waiver at the Lagos Consulate 20 months after it suspended it indefinitely at all its consulates in the country.
It resumed the service at the Abuja Consulate in March to cover the federal capital and the Northern states.
The first interview waiver applies to applicants for visa in the categories of B1/B2, F, M, J (academic only), H, L, or C1/D (combined only) who, among other criteria,
- Had previously visited the US and has never been arrested or convicted of any crime
- Never worked without authorisation or overstayed in the US.
This second interview waiver applies to applicants for visa who, among other criteria,
- Are students previously granted US who visited Nigeria and are returning to the US, and who
- Have never been arrested or convicted of any crime
- Never worked without authorisation or overstayed in the US.
A statement published on the website of US embassy provides further clarification as follows:
If you are currently studying in the United States, you may be eligible to renew your student visa without an interview when you return to Nigeria this summer.
To qualify for this procedure, you must be physically in Nigeria renewing a student visa that is still valid or has expired within the past 24 months and are renewing your visa either to: (a) continue participation in the same major course of study even if at a different institution; or (b) attend the same institution even if in a different major course of study.
Abuja applicants
Go to www.ustraveldocs.com/ng and follow instructions to complete your application and visit a designated DHL facility to drop off your application with the following documents:
- A printout of your Submission letter (printed from ustraveldocs.com/ng)
- A completed DS-160
- An approved I-20
- A receipt for your I-901 SEVIS fee
- A GTBank (MRV) receipt for your visa fee
- Your passport containing the expired student visa (if that passport is expired, a current valid passport is also required)
- A passport photograph meeting these requirements
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Lagos applicants
Go to www.ustraveldocs.com/ng and follow the instructions to make an interview waiver appointment for a student visa. You must come in person to the U.S. Consulate on the date and time of your appointment with the following documents:
- A completed DS-160
- An approved I-20
- A receipt for your I-901 SEVIS fee
- A GTBank (MRV) receipt for your visa fee
- Your passport containing the expired student visa (if that passport is expired, a current valid passport is also required)
- A passport photograph meeting these requirements
IF YOU DO NOT MEET THE ABOVE CRITERIA THEN FOLLOW THESE STEPS:
Applicants who do not meet these criteria should visit www.ustraveldocs.com/ng to schedule a regular appointment.
If someone in your family or group does not meet the qualifications above, they must schedule a regular appointment.
Each applicant must meet the qualifications individually.
For instance, we cannot accept a renewal for a child because the parent qualifies under these guidelines. In that case, the child would need to schedule an appointment and come to the Embassy or Consulate for an interview.
To remove a dependent that does not qualify for a student renewal from your profile, please follow these steps:
- Log in to the primary applicant’s profile
- Click New Scheduling Appointment
- Follow the steps until your reach Step 6
- At step 6, check for the dependent’s information and click “x” to remove the dependent’s information from the primary applicants’ profile
Scheduled applicants who qualify for the student renewal based on the above criteria can cancel their appointments and re-apply on this link .
During the rescheduling process you will be asked questions confirming eligibility for the student renewal program and be provided instructions on how to submit the application through the document delivery center.
Scheduling instructions can be found on this link.
If you do not qualify for a student renewal, please do not cancel your appointment.
