The drop box visa processing option is no longer available for US visa applicants in Nigeria, marking a significant shift in the visa renewal process.

Sources confirm that the service, which previously allowed eligible applicants to renew their visas without an in-person interview, has been quietly removed from the appointment booking system.

While the US Embassy in Nigeria has yet to issue an official statement on the change, applicants attempting to schedule visa renewals have reported that the drop box feature is no longer an option on the appointment booking platform.

Appointment backlogs

Applicants who spoke stated that they have not been able to access the platform suggesting that it may have been removed.

However, sources confirm the feature may have been removed as a slew of executive orders from President Donald Trump started to impact the world.

This development is coming amid a backlog of visa applications, with many applicants waiting months to secure drop box appointments before this removal.

Some even reported waiting nearly a year to get a physical appointment, adding to the frustration of an already tedious process.

This change comes at a time when many applicants had already been struggling with long wait times ? some as long as a year ? to secure an in-person visa appointment.

As of January, drop box appointment slots were unavailable in Lagos, pushing many applicants to seek alternatives in Abuja.

Now, with the complete removal of the drop box feature, all applicants will have to go through in-person interviews, returning to the process that was in place before 2020.

What you should know

The drop box (Interview Waiver) program in Nigeria was initially introduced to ease the visa renewal process by allowing certain applicants to submit their documents without attending an in-person interview at the US Embassy or Consulate.

To qualify, applicants had to meet specific criteria, including:

* Having a prior US visa that expired within the last 24 months.

* The previous visa must have been issued in Nigeria as a full-validity, multiple-entry visa.

* Applying for the same visa classification as the prior approved visa.

* No record of overstaying, working without authorization, or having criminal convictions in the US.

In August 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the US Department of State expanded eligibility, allowing those whose visas expired within 48 months to apply through the drop box system.

This measure aimed to streamline visa renewals and reduce in-person interactions amid pandemic restrictions.

However, the drop box service in Nigeria has faced previous suspensions. In 2018, during Donald Trump?s first administration, the US government removed the option, citing concerns over visa overstays by Nigerian travellers.

At the time, the US mission mandated in-person interviews for all applicants, leading to longer processing times and delays in securing visa appointments.

With the recent removal of the drop box feature, Nigerians applying for US visas will now revert to full in-person interviews, adding to the already extended wait times for visa appointments. This policy shift may significantly impact business travelers, students, and frequent visitors who previously relied on the drop box system for faster renewals. (Text, excluding headline: Nairametrics)

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