The United States Embassy in Nigeria has revealed that over 150,000 Nigerians completed visa interviews in 2023, as the embassy works to manage a significant rise in visa applications. David Greene, the embassy’s charge d’affaires, addressed the challenge of high demand surpassing available visa appointment slots, emphasizing efforts to close this gap.

“The demand for visa appointments exceeds our capacity,” Greene explained in an interview with NAN. “We’ve worked to accommodate more applicants, conducting over 150,000 interviews this year, plus an additional 30,000 for student visas. Many students are also seeking U.S. visas, and we are striving to address needs across all categories.”

Following the backlog caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Greene noted that the embassy has made progress, implementing a five-year term for visas to the U.S. in March. He advised Nigerians aiming to travel to the U.S. to apply early and tie their applications to specific plans or events.

“We acknowledge the backlog and encourage early application planning,” Greene added. “The embassy is committed to doing all it can to ensure applicants in need of visas are able to secure them.”