US eliminates visa dropbox service for Nigerians amid overstay fear

The US Embassy in Nigeria has quietly removed the drop box visa processing option for Nigerian applicants, marking a significant shift in the visa renewal process.

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

The drop box service, which allowed eligible applicants to renew their visas without an in-person interview, was initially introduced to ease the visa renewal process.

To qualify for the drop box program, applicants had to meet specific criteria, including having a prior US visa that expired within the last 24 months, applying for the same visa classification, and having no record of overstaying or criminal convictions in the US.

However, the US government had previously suspended the drop box service in Nigeria in 2018, citing concerns over visa overstays by Nigerian travelers.

The removal of the drop box feature is expected to significantly impact business travelers, students, and frequent visitors who previously relied on the drop box system for faster renewals.

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

This policy shift may exacerbate the already extended wait times for visa appointments, which have been reported to be as long as a year.