THE United States Embassy has announced updated visa interview requirements for Nigerian applicants, effective from April 22.
In a statement issued on Friday, April 11, the US Mission stated that all applicants attending interviews in Abuja and Lagos must bring a DS-160 visa application form that includes a confirmation barcode starting with “AA” followed by two zeros.
This barcode must exactly match the one used to book the interview appointment online.
This barcode must exactly match the one used to book the interview appointment online.
The embassy warned that applicants who fail to present a matching barcode will be denied entry to the consular section and disqualified from the interview.
“If the confirmation/barcode number on your DS-160 form does not match the one you used to book your appointment, you will not be allowed to enter the Consular Section or attend your visa interview,” the statement read.
Applicants are also advised to verify the alignment at least two weeks before their appointment.
The statement further clarified that previously used DS-160 forms are not reusable. In cases of a mismatch, applicants are advised to log into their AVITS account and submit a correction request at least ten days before their scheduled interview.
The US mission noted, “At least two weeks before your interview, please double-check that the barcode number on your DS-160 form matches the one you used to schedule your appointment.
“You cannot reuse a DS-160 from a previous application. If your DS-160 barcode is incorrect, you must log into your AVITS account at least 10 days before your appointment to create a support ticket requesting correction of your barcode number.”
Additionally, the US mission reminded applicants to ensure that their visa appointment is scheduled at the location indicated in their DS-160 form.
“If you are turned away from your appointment because your barcode numbers do not match, once you correct the problem, you will need to book a new appointment to proceed with your visa application. You may book a new appointment by logging into your AVITS account. If your visa fee has expired, you may have to pay a new fee before booking,” it added.
These changes are part of ongoing efforts to streamline visa processing and reduce administrative errors.
Since January 1, all visa applicants have been required to visit the US Consulate General in Lagos twice as part of the application process.
Nurudeen Akewushola is an investigative reporter and fact-checker with The ICIR. He believes courageous in-depth investigative reporting is the key to social justice, accountability and good governance in society. You can reach him via nyahaya@icirnigeria.org and @NurudeenAkewus1 on Twitter.