No-interview student visa renewals now available for Nigerians, says US embassy

The United States embassy says eligible Nigerians seeking to renew their student visas in the country can do so without an interview.

The no-interview visa renewal process in Nigeria was initially said to be available in limited capacity.

In a statement issued by the embassy on Wednesday, the US said Nigerians currently studying in the country on an F1 or academic J1 visa may be qualified to renew their student visas without an interview when they return to Nigeria over the winter break.

To qualify for this service, the US embassy said applicants must be physically in Nigeria and must be renewing a student visa that is still valid or has expired within the past 24 months.

Visa renewal requirements include applications to continue participation in the same major course of study even if at a different institution, or attendance of the same institution even if in a different major course of study.

According to the statement, scheduling a no-interview student visa renewal appointment requires applicants to drop off their passports at a DHL location in Lagos, on a date and time scheduled using the consulate’s online booking system.  

“The US mission in Nigeria is committed to returning your passport to you within two weeks from your appointment date and will prioritize any required follow up interviews,” the statement reads.

HOW TO APPLY

To schedule a no-interview student visa renewal appointment, applicants are expected to visit www.ustraveldocs.com/ng and “follow the instructions”.

Eligible candidates are then required to visit a designated DHL facility to drop off their applications on the day and time of their scheduled appointments with the following documents:

• A printout of your submission letter (printed from www.ustraveldocs.com/ng)
• A DS-160 completed in the last six months
• An approved I-20 
• A receipt for your I-901 SEVIS fee 
• Your passport containing the expired student visa (if that passport has expired, a current valid passport must be included)
• A passport photograph taken in the last six months meeting these requirements

According to the statement, applicants who do not meet these criteria should visit and schedule a regular appointment at www.ustraveldocs.com/ng.

“If someone in your family or group does not meet the qualifications above, they must schedule a regular appointment. Each applicant must meet the qualifications individually,” the statement reads. 

“For instance, we cannot accept a renewal for a child if the parent is the only one who qualifies under the guidelines. In that case, the child would need to schedule an appointment and come to the embassy or consulate for an interview.”

An applicant who wants to remove a dependent that does not qualify for student renewal from their profile are advised to follow these steps: 

• Log in to the primary applicant’s profile
• Click ‘New Scheduling Appointment’
• Follow the steps until your reach Step 6.
• At Step 6, check for the dependent’s information and click “x” to remove the dependent from the primary applicants’ profile.

“Scheduled applicants who qualify for the no-interview student visa renewal based on the above criteria can cancel their appointments and re-apply at this link,” the statement reads.

“During the rescheduling process you will be asked questions confirming eligibility for the student renewal program and be provided instructions on how to submit the application through the document delivery center.

“If you do not qualify for a no-interview student visa renewal, please do not cancel your appointment.”

In April, the US embassy had made the drop box service available for Nigerians seeking to renew their student visas in the country.