By Bola Olajuwon, The Nation
SOURCES AT the United States’ Department of State have confirmed that the drop box visa processing option is still available for applicants in Nigeria, contrary to reports by a section of the media.
In an enquiry by The Nation on the controversy, a source, who pleaded anonymity, declared that “qualified applicants in Nigeria can make Interview Waiver appointments online,” otherwise known as “Drop Box”.
The confirmation followed an email sent by The Nation to a contact at the Department of State on whether
The service, which allowed eligible applicants to renew their visas without an in-person interview, was allegedly removed from the appointment booking system in Lagos.
Applicants for drop box service have to meet certain conditions, which include a prior U.S. visa that expired within the last 24 months, the visa must have been issued in Nigeria as a full-validity, multiple-entry visa, and the applicants must have no record of overstaying, working without authorisation or having criminal convictions in the U.S.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Department of State in August 2020 expanded visa eligibility, allowing those whose visas expired within 48 months to apply through the drop box system.
The service was designed to streamline visa renewals and reduce in-person interactions amid pandemic restrictions.
Attempts to confirm the current media reports from U.S. Embassy in Abuja and Consulate General in Lagos were fruitless.
Applicants attempting to schedule visa renewals reported that the drop box feature was missing from options on the appointment booking platform.
According to a source in Lagos, who craved anonymity, the feature may have been removed as part of the executive orders signed by President Donald Trump.
Reacting, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs, Oluwole Oke, said the Federal Government would take diplomatic action and engage with relevant authorities to address the suspension of the drop box service.
Oke, who revealed this when he featured on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Tuesday, said: “I am in the U.S. I will take this matter up. After finishing my meeting in New York, I will also be in Washington. We have a chargé d’affaires there, and I will discuss this issue with him to find a way to resolve it.”
According to Oke, the suspension of the service was not a major issue, as Nigeria does not offer a similar service to Americans renewing their Nigerian visas.
