The Nigeria Immigration Service has ended its partnership with a third party visa application provider in the United States, directing all travellers seeking Nigerian visas to submit their applications directly through the country’s diplomatic missions.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Service said the new arrangement takes effect immediately. The announcement was signed by its Public Relations Officer, Akinsola Akinlabi.
Before the change, Online Integrated Solution Services handled Nigeria’s visa application and submission centres across the US. However, the Immigration Service did not give any reason for the decision to discontinue the arrangement.
Under the new directive, visa applicants are to submit their requests directly to the Embassy of Nigeria in Washington, DC, or the Nigerian Consulates in New York and Atlanta until further notice.
Akinlabi said the Embassy and Consulates have already put measures in place to ensure that visa submission, processing and issuance continue without disruption. He also advised applicants to keep an eye on official communication channels of the Nigeria Immigration Service and the Nigerian mission in the United States for fresh updates on the application process.
He added that the Service remains focused on delivering efficient and improved services to applicants.
The move comes as the Federal Government continues efforts to simplify consular services and ease challenges linked to visa processing for Nigerians in the diaspora as well as foreign nationals planning to visit the country.
In recent years, stakeholders in the sector have repeatedly pushed for more transparency and stronger direct oversight in visa processing, amid concerns over delays and extra costs often tied to third party service operators.
