The United States (US) Mission in Nigeria has announced that it would prioritize visa applications by Nigerians planning to resume academic studies in the US by September 2021. This was disclosed in a statement on Friday titled, "US Announces Priority Appointments for Student Visa Applicants." The document which was signed by the US Mission Country Consular Coordinator, Susan Tuller read in part: "As we continue to prioritize the health and safety of our staff and customers, processing student visas remains a high priority for the US Mission in Nigeria.
"If your US studies are scheduled to begin this Fall, we encourage you to schedule your appointment as quickly as possible.
"All student visa appointments must be booked through the US Travel Docs website," the statement said.
Tuller also advised visa applicants to avoid using the services of third-party such as touts and fixers who arrange visa appointments.
She added: "Both Nigeria and the United States benefit when Nigerian students study at one of our world-class educational institutions. To prepare for your US educational opportunity, we encourage you to check out Education USA Advising Center at our American Spaces in Abuja, Lagos, Ibadan and Calabar."
According to 2019-2020 statistics, a record-breaking 14,000 Nigerians participated in both graduate and undergraduate degrees in the United States. Nigeria is the 1st in Africa and 11th in the world regarding the amount of international students present in the United States of America.