The United States Mission in Nigeria has announced new guidelines for visa interviews, effective from Monday, April 22, 2025.
In a statement published on its official website on Friday, the mission said all visa applicants scheduled for interviews at the Abuja and Lagos offices must present a DS-160 confirmation form bearing a barcode that starts with “AA00”.
The mission emphasised that the barcode on the DS-160 form must match the one used to schedule the appointment online, warning that failure to do so will result in denial of entry into the Consular Section.
“Applicants whose DS-160 barcode numbers do not match the ones used in booking their appointments will not be allowed into the consulate for the interview,” the statement said.
It further advised applicants to cross-check their information at least two weeks before their scheduled interview.
“You cannot reuse a DS-160 from a previous application. If the barcode is incorrect, log in to your AVITS account at least 10 days before your appointment and create a support ticket to request correction,” the mission added.
The US Mission also reminded applicants to ensure that the location selected when filling the DS-160 form matches the consulate where their appointment is scheduled.
In cases where applicants are denied access due to mismatched barcodes, they must correct the issue and reschedule a new appointment. If the visa fee has expired, a fresh payment may be required.
The new rule is part of efforts to improve visa processing efficiency and reduce errors that cause delays.
For enquiries or assistance, applicants are encouraged to contact the visa call centre at +234 201 343 8900 or +1 734 418 2395 (from the U.S.), or reach out via nigeria@usvisaappt.com or the chatbot on the AVITS website.
