The United States Embassy has introduced updated requirements for Nigerian visa applicants, effective from April 22, 2025. In a statement released on Friday, the US mission stated that all applicants attending visa interviews in Abuja and Lagos must bring a DS-160 confirmation form featuring a barcode that begins with “AA” followed by two zeroes (00). This barcode must match the one used to schedule their interview online. The embassy stressed that applicants who present a mismatched barcode will be denied access to the consular section and will not be allowed to attend their interview.
“From April 22, 2025, all applicants in Abuja and Lagos must present a DS-160 confirmation form with a barcode (starting with ‘AA00’) that matches the number used when booking their appointment. Interviews must also be scheduled at the same location selected when filling out the DS-160,” the statement said.
Applicants are urged to confirm that their DS-160 barcode matches their appointment details at least two weeks before their interview.
Additionally, the embassy made it clear that DS-160 forms from previous applications cannot be reused. If there’s an error with the barcode, applicants should log into their AVITS account and submit a correction request no later than 10 days before the interview.
“If the barcode is incorrect, you must access your AVITS account at least 10 days before the appointment to create a support ticket and request a correction,” the mission advised.
The embassy also reminded applicants to ensure their interview is scheduled at the location indicated on their DS-160 form.
“If you are turned away due to a barcode mismatch, you will need to fix the issue and reschedule your appointment. If your visa fee has expired by then, a new payment may be required,” the statement added.
These changes are part of the embassy’s efforts to improve the visa application process and minimize errors.
Since January 1, all applicants have also been required to visit the US Consulate General in Lagos twice as part of the application procedure.