The United States (US) embassy in Nigeria disclosed that over 150,000 Nigerians underwent visa interviews in 2023, emphasising its commitment to addressing the influx of visa applications from Nigerian citizens.
David Greene, the charge d’affaires of the embassy, conveyed the embassy’s efforts to manage the surge in visa applications, stating in an interview with NAN on Sunday that the demand for visas surpassed the available supply.
“When it comes to visas, it is a simple fact that the demand for visa appointments outnumbers the supply,” he said.
“So, those appointments are available, and we are doing everything we can to address that gap.
“What folks do not know is that this year we have interviewed more than 150,000 Nigerians.
“This is in addition to 30,000 students. Hundreds of thousands of students have had the opportunity to seek visas from the US.
“We are doing the best we can to get proper ways for all the categories, and after having an enormous backlog as a result of COVID-19 and all that,
“We have made great progress, though. In March, we instituted a five-year term for visas to the US.”
Greene urged Nigerians planning to travel to the US to apply early and ensure that their visa applications are tied to events.
“Folks who are seeking visas should apply early and make sure that the plan is for as long as they can,” he said.
“This is because we do acknowledge that there is a backlog, and we will do what we can to make sure that people who need a warrant visa to the US can get them.”
