The United States Embassy in Abuja has clarified that it will continue to process diplomatic and official visa applications despite the recent transfer of routine visa processing from Nigeria to designated regional visa hubs.
The clarification follows concerns arising from the decision by the U.S. Department of State to realign routine visa services in Abuja and several other African cities as part of changes to its overseas consular operations.
According to the U.S. Mission in Nigeria, the changes do not amount to the closure of the Abuja Embassy or the suspension of all visa services in Nigeria.
Under the new arrangement, which took effect on August 1, 2026, routine visa processing previously handled in Abuja was transferred to designated regional visa hubs.
The U.S. government said the realignment was aimed at strengthening security screening, improving operational efficiency and ensuring that its overseas operations remain aligned with U.S. national interests.
The changes affect routine visa services in Abuja and several other African locations, including Antananarivo, Asmara, Bamako, Banjul, Brazzaville, Bujumbura, Conakry, Cotonou, Durban, Freetown, Gaborone, Harare, Juba, Libreville, Lilongwe, Lusaka, Maputo, Maseru, Mbabane, N’Djamena, Niamey, Nouakchott, Ouagadougou and Windhoek.
Despite the transfer of routine visa processing, the U.S. Department of State has stressed that the affected diplomatic missions remain operational and are not being shut down.
Clarifying the situation in Nigeria, the U.S. Mission said the Embassy in Abuja would continue to handle diplomatic and official visa applications under the A, G and C categories.
The A visa category generally covers diplomats and certain government officials travelling to the United States on official assignments, while G visas are typically issued to representatives and employees of designated international organisations. Certain C-category visas cover individuals travelling through the United States in an official or transit capacity, depending on the applicable classification.
The Mission advised applicants who believe they qualify for diplomatic or official visa categories to first contact the protocol office responsible for coordinating their official travel documentation and visa arrangements.
The clarification means that while applicants seeking routine visa services may now be required to use the designated regional processing arrangement, eligible diplomats and official travellers will continue to have their applications processed through the U.S. Embassy in Abuja.
The statement by the U.S. Mission is intended to distinguish the transfer of routine visa processing from a complete suspension of visa services, emphasising that the Abuja Embassy remains operational and continues to handle diplomatic and official visa applications in the specified categories