The United States Embassy has announced new visa interview requirements for Nigerian applicants, set to take effect on April 22.
A statement released by the US mission on Friday outlined that all applicants attending interviews in Abuja and Lagos must present a DS-160 visa application form with a confirmation barcode starting with "AA" followed by two zeroes. This barcode must match the one used when scheduling the interview appointment online.
The embassy stressed that any mismatch between the barcode on the DS-160 form and the one used to schedule the appointment will result in denial of entry to the consular section and disqualification from the interview.
“Starting April 22, 2025, all visa applicants in Abuja and Lagos must bring a DS-160 visa application form with a confirmation/barcode number (starting with AA and followed by 00) that matches the one used to make their appointment online,” the statement read. “If the barcode on your DS-160 does not match the one used to book your appointment, you will not be allowed to enter the Consular Section or attend your visa interview.”
Applicants are advised to verify the alignment of the barcode at least two weeks before their appointment. The embassy also clarified that previously used DS-160 forms cannot be reused. In cases of a mismatch, applicants are instructed to log into their AVITS account no later than ten days before their interview to request a correction.
“Please double-check that the barcode number on your DS-160 form matches the one you used to schedule your appointment. You cannot reuse a DS-160 from a previous application,” the statement noted. "If the barcode is incorrect, you must log into your AVITS account at least 10 days before your appointment to submit a correction request."
Additionally, the embassy reminded applicants to ensure that their visa appointment is scheduled at the location indicated in their DS-160 form.
“If you are turned away because of a barcode mismatch, you must correct the issue and book a new appointment. You may need to pay a new visa fee if your previous one has expired,” the embassy added.
These new requirements are part of ongoing efforts to streamline visa processing and minimize administrative errors. Since January 1, all visa applicants have been required to visit the US Consulate General in Lagos twice during the application process.
