No-Interview Visa Renewal Process for Nigerian Students

There are two main visa options for foreign nationals seeking to study at a U.S. university or college: the F-1 Visa and the J-1 Visa. If the student’s visa expires before their program is complete, they may be eligible for a visa renewal. The renewal process requires the student to first re-apply for the visa directly from their home country, and then schedule an in-person interview at a US embassy or consulate.

On November 23, 2022, the United States Mission announced Nigerian students currently studying in the U.S. on an F-1 or academic J-1 visa may be eligible to renew their visas without an interview when they return to Nigeria over the winter break.

To qualify, the student must first return to Nigeria. They must also be renewing a student visa that is still valid or has expired within the past 24 months. The student must also be requesting a renewal to either: (a) continue studying the same major even at a different university, or (b) attend the same university to study a different major.

This new renewal process will only require students to drop off their application documents at a DHL location in Lagos at a date and time scheduled through the consulate’s online booking system. The application documents include: (1) passports, (2) print out of their submission letter, (3) a completed DS-160, (4) an approved I-20, and (5) a receipt for their I-901 SEVIS fee.

The U.S. Mission in Nigeria is committed to making this process quick and simple. They expect to return the student’s passport to them within two weeks from their appointment date and will prioritize any required follow up interviews.

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