The United States Embassy has introduced updated visa interview requirements for Nigerian applicants, effective from April 22, 2025. In an official statement released on Friday, April 11, the U.S. Mission outlined new measures aimed at enhancing documentation consistency and streamlining the visa application process.

According to the statement, all applicants scheduled for visa interviews at the U.S. Embassies in Abuja and Lagos must present a DS-160 confirmation page with a barcode that begins with “AA” followed by two zeroes (00). This barcode must exactly match the one used to book the interview appointment.

The embassy emphasized that any mismatch between the DS-160 barcode and the appointment details will result in denial of entry to the Consular Section and automatic disqualification from the scheduled interview.

Additionally, the embassy noted the following key points:

  • DS-160 forms from previous applications are no longer valid and cannot be reused.

  • Applicants who discover an error in their barcode must log into their AVITS account at least 10 days before the interview and submit a support ticket to request corrections.

  • Interview appointments must be scheduled at the same location indicated in the DS-160 form.

  • Those turned away due to inconsistencies will be required to correct the issue and reschedule their interview. If the original visa fee has expired by then, a new payment may be required.

The embassy also reminded applicants that since January 1, 2025, all applicants in Lagos are required to appear twice at the U.S. Consulate General as part of the updated visa application process.

These changes, according to the embassy, are designed to improve procedural efficiency and ensure greater accuracy in applicant documentation.