The United States Embassy in Nigeria has clarified that its Embassy in Abuja will continue to process diplomatic and official visa applications despite the recent transfer of routine visa processing from Abuja to designated regional visa hubs.

The clarification followed concerns generated by the decision of the United States 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 Nigeria, the changes do not amount to the closure of the Embassy in Abuja 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 has been transferred to designated regional visa hubs.

The United States government said the realignment was designed to strengthen security screening, improve operational efficiency and ensure that its overseas operations remain aligned with U.S. national interests.

The changes affect routine visa services not only in Abuja but also in a number of 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 position specifically for Nigeria, the U.S. Mission said the Embassy in Abuja would continue to handle diplomatic and official visa applications falling 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 persons 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, qualified diplomats and official travellers will continue to have their applications handled through the U.S. Embassy in Abuja.

The Mission’s statement is intended to distinguish the transfer of routine visa processing from a total suspension of visa services, stressing that the Embassy remains responsible for diplomatic and official visa processing in the specified categories.

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