By Peter Omopo

The United States has announced sweeping changes to its non-immigrant visa policy, requiring applicants to attend interviews strictly at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate in their country of nationality or legal residence.

The directive, issued by the U.S. Department of State on Saturday, September 6, 2025, took immediate effect and overrides all previous instructions regarding where visa interviews may be scheduled.

According to a statement on the State Department’s official visa portal, nationals from countries where routine non-immigrant visa services remain suspended must appear at designated embassies or consulates. For example, Afghans must apply in Islamabad, Belarusians in Vilnius or Warsaw, Cubans in Georgetown, Iranians in Dubai, Russians in Astana or Warsaw, Venezuelans in Bogotá, and Yemenis in Riyadh.

The Department highlighted three key implications of the new policy:

Residence Requirement: Applicants must prove legal residence in the country where they seek an appointment. Fees: Applications filed outside one’s country of residence or nationality risk being denied, with non-refundable fees forfeited. Delays: Applicants applying outside their country of residence should expect significantly longer interview wait times.

The State Department noted that existing appointments will generally not be cancelled. Exceptions may still be granted for humanitarian, medical, or foreign policy reasons. Diplomatic, NATO, and UN-related visas remain unaffected.

Officials said the reforms are designed to streamline visa adjudication, ease global backlogs, and strengthen security protocols.

The move effectively ends the long-standing practice of “visa shopping,” where applicants sought appointments in neighbouring countries to avoid delays. In Nigeria, for instance, when slots in Lagos or Abuja were unavailable, many applicants turned to consulates in Ghana, Ivory Coast, Namibia, Canada, or even the Dominican Republic.

With the new rule, Nigerians—and applicants worldwide—will now be required to apply only in their country of nationality or residence, a change expected to significantly reshape the visa application process amid already lengthy wait times.