How to Apply For American Visa in Nigeria

Are you looking for how to apply for American Visa in Nigeria ? If yes, this article will work you through to just that with consulting any other source of information.

Most Nigerians dream of travelling to the US for greener pasture. Yes, many of us Nigerians just believe that after a long-haul flight from Nigeria to US, and they finally make it to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, all our problems are over – why not when their flight has just landed in God’s own country?

They often blame their desperation to travel to America on the failure of Nigerian leadership to create an enable environment for Nigerian youths to prosper.

Some often believe that the streets of America are made of up gold and diamonds. I could easily assume you are reading this piece because you wish travel to the US or you want to have general knowledge of what it takes to go to America.

This is because going to America is the end point of reading about how to apply for American visa in Nigeriam For any reason you are reading this piece though, I assure you that it will meet all your expectations concerning the requirements to get a US visa because all the tips about how to apply for American visa will be revealed to you.

How to Apply for American Visa

Before you are be cleared to get on a flight to America, you MUST have an American visa. An American visa is an endorsement on your Nigerian passport indicating that you are allowed to enter the US – stating the purpose of visit, and duration of stay. If you wish to apply for American visa in Nigeria, follow the steps below.

Steps

  1. Go, process and get a Nigerian International passport from Nigeria Immigration Service office
  2. Go to American Embassy in Abuja or Consulate General in Lagos to apply but before you do that it’s better you learn know what to expect
  3. Carefully choose the visa type that applies to your situation. There are different types of visas so you should be able to understand this and also, carefully understand the visa that applies to your situation. Please note that there are common nonimmigrant visas being issued to those who wish to visit America on a short stay – business trip, holidaying, students, etc. and also there are immigrant visas for persons who wish to permanently live in the US.
  4. Once you identify the visa you wish to have, you must pay the visa fee (which will be discussed later)
  5. At this stage you will carefully complete the DS-160 form after learning about its guidelines. Note that once you submit this form, you are not allowed to make any changes
  6. Next step, you will create a profile on U.S. Embassy system by visiting https://cgifederal.secure.force.com. You will be asked your email address and password for this.
  7. After confirming the account from your email, you will login to your dashboard
    On the left-hand side of the dashboard, you will see Schedule Appointment
  8. When an appointment has been successfully scheduled for you, you will need the following documents – applicant’s passport number, the receipt of deposit from GTBank, 10 digits barcode from your DS-160 confirmation page
  9. As you go through the page you will fill out some web forms for your biodata, document delivery location, confirm visa payment and schedule appointment. Call their hotline on +23414406218 or email: support-nigeria@ustraveldocs.com to schedule an appointment after the deposit.
  10. Visit US Embassy on the date and time of visa interview

Tips:

  • Consult an immigration lawyer when filing out the DS-160 form
  • You will only be allowed to stay in the US for 90 days if you are going for business or pleasure
  • To schedule an appointment means that an official from US Embassy will interview you to know “if you really need to go to the US” and this determines whether you will get a visa or not. Sadly, they frustrate many Nigerians.

If your visa is approved, it will be dropped off at your chosen document delivery location
When you are attending a visa interview, you must go with a passport valid 6 months beyond the period you wish to stay in America, visa payment receipt from GTBank, email address and phone number, and other documents you may consider relevant to the interview.

Continuous rescheduling of interviews by applicants can make the consulate to ask you to buy another visa. Remember that payments to the Consulate are non-refundable.

Immigrant visas can only be applied for at the US Consulate Office in Lagos not the US Embassy in Abuja.

The amount you will pay to get an American visa depends on the type of visa you are applying for.
You can pay for your visa at any GTBank branch close to you

All payments are made in dollars (which is the local currency of the US)
Payments payable by adults or for children for nonimmigrant visa go between $190 to $265, and are paid at GTBank

In some cases you may be asked to present account statement to prove that you have a stipulated amount in it. This often applies to those going for business. For more information regarding payments, visit: www.ustraveldocs.com/ng/ng-niv-otherfeeinfo.asp

Therefore, these are facts you should be armed with if you wish to apply for American visa in Nigeria.

Conclusion

When you meet all the requirements above, you are very close to getting an American visa, and by extension going to America.

It is rather lachrymose that many Nigerians sleep at US embassy just to get an American visa, but funnily enough, they failed to realize that many Nigerians have gone to the US, got deported, and they came back home empty handed.

Therefore, if you wish go to the US, don’t just stop at learning about how to apply for American visa in Nigeria, you should also have good plans and smart ways of answering your interviewer to convince him that your going to America is to add value to yourself and them (a win-win situation) and not going to foment some troubles to their government by probably saying that you are going for a greener pasture.

Going to go to the US is a good thing because America has more opportunities; you will learn new things; America has by far more stable democracy; a working system and a country where the rights and lives of everyone matters to her government.

21 thoughts on “How to Apply For American Visa in Nigeria”

  1. Hello Ifeanyi,

    my uncle stays in the US for over two years now as he went there through his wife who has been there for more that 15 years, now they invited me to come and visit.

    if I am applying, do I need to show my financial statement? and what is the best way to truly get the visa. thanks

    Reply
    • Hello @Otuya, your uncle will have to demonstrate financial capabilities that he will be able to take care of you once you arrive in the united states.

      Reply
  2. My sister is a citizen of United States of America and she is getting married soon and she is sending an invitation letter to me and my mother for us to attend the wedding, I have been to us embassy In 2008 but I was denied and I am going now what is your advice pls get back to our me asap

    Reply
    • All you eed is to apply for the right visa (visitor/tourist visa), have required financial statement. On the interview, tell the VO that you will return after the wedding.

      Reply
  3. Well done job. I want you to enlightened me more on u.s visitation. I have a sister at u.s,who invited me and my husband,she’s been there for over fourteen years now tru visa lottery, pls my questions are, can we use virgin passport to enter u.s? what is the duration of visa can the consular officer issue us? can I and my husband work on getting there? pls I need reply as soon as possible. Thanks for your help.

    Reply
  4. I was told by a friend that America does not give visa to Virgin Nigerian passport except student visa only.please how true is this info.

    Reply
  5. Hello, please how Much does it cost for students to go study in America and what are the measures that guarantee a safe living, and also what guarantees a foreign Student in America that after schooling he/she will get a substantial job.

    Reply
    • Before you are granted a US student visa, you will have to demonstrate financial capability and have genuine to travel to the US. You will need to show that you have money to take care of your tuition fees as well as living expenses in the US. Definitely there are work in the US especially if you study a lucrative course.

      Reply
  6. Never came across such a well articulated article. If after reading this some folks are still asking what they do to get US visa or enter USA. Man you are empty headed. Go recharge your brain. Infact you are not qualified to enter US. God bless you @Author

    Reply
  7. I have not been to America before though I have friends that relocated to the US through US lottery but would want to relocate with my family to the US, how do I go about it and how much will it cost me??

    Reply
    • Just contact that your relative and ask him/her to send you an invite. You need to have a clear reason(s) of visiting the US and your relative in the US will have to demonstrate financial capability to the US embassy before you will be given a visa. Success!

      Reply
  8. Pls enlight me more what are the requirements to visit American and am going by Holiday pls what are the documents

    Reply
  9. Most I havery big money in my account before making statement of account? Well have been to Russia hope that will not make them not to give me visa?

    Reply
  10. Thanks for the information that is provided. But unfortunately my situation is different. Have lived in the USA for 30years and I left with Voluntary departure. Please let me know what to do to renter USA. Thanks.

    Reply
    • Hello Victor, just visit the US Embassy if you have the current financial capability and good reasons to visit the US. Thanks

      Reply

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