The United States Embassy in Abuja has clarified that selected visa categories continue to be processed in the Federal Capital despite the transfer of routine visa services to Lagos.
The new arrangement took effect on August 1, 2026, as part of a wider realignment of American consular operations.
The embassy said the change did not amount to a shutdown of the Abuja diplomatic mission.
Diplomatic and official visa categories, including A, G and C classifications, remain covered by separate processing arrangements.
The material supplied also states that foreign media representatives continue to fall under specialized visa procedures.
The I visa is the principal non-immigrant classification used by foreign journalists and other eligible media professionals traveling to the United States for professional assignments.
Routine visa applicants, however, are being redirected to Lagos as Nigeria’s designated processing hub.
The United States government said the reorganization was intended to improve screening consistency, national security and the efficient use of consular resources.
Similar changes have affected American diplomatic posts elsewhere in Africa.
The embassy advised applicants to determine the correct visa category before starting the process because the appropriate processing location may depend on the purpose of travel.
Diplomatic and official travelers may need to work through their protocol offices.
The clarification is intended to correct the impression that all visa services have stopped in Abuja.
Separate United States immigration rules are also expected to introduce fixed admission periods for foreign media representatives entering on I visas, replacing the previous duration-of-status approach.
The wider policy shift reflects tighter screening and more centralized consular processing across several visa categories.
