The United States Embassy in Nigeria has announced new visa interview requirements for all applicants in Abuja and Lagos, set to take effect from April 22, 2025
In a statement released on Friday, the embassy emphasized that all visa applicants must present a DS-160 application form with a confirmation barcode that begins with “AA” followed by “00” — and most importantly, matches the one used to schedule their interview.
“Starting April 22, 2025, all visa applicants in Abuja and Lagos must bring a DS-160 visa application form with a confirmation/barcode number (starting with AA and followed by 00 – two zeroes) that matches the one used to make their appointment online,” the statement read. “You also must make your appointment in the location you selected when filling out your DS-160.”
Applicants with mismatched barcode numbers will be denied access to the consular section and disqualified from the interview process.
The embassy warned that previously used DS-160 forms are no longer valid and cannot be reused under any circumstances. In the event of an error, applicants must log into their AVITS account at least 10 days before their appointment to submit a correction request. Failure to do so may result in forfeiting the scheduled interview and needing to rebook, which could involve paying a new visa fee if the original one has expired.
Applicants are also urged to ensure that their appointment location aligns with the city selected on 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,” the embassy added.
These changes are part of the mission’s broader effort to streamline visa processing and reduce administrative errors. Since January 1, all applicants have been required to visit the US Consulate General in Lagos twice as part of the application procedure.
With these new policies, Nigerian applicants are encouraged to review their DS-160 forms carefully and confirm all information at least two weeks ahead of their interview date.
