News Update: United States Embassy Extends Visa Fee Validity To 2023
By: Nneka Oduada Eze (Esq)
The United States (US) Mission in Nigeria recently released a statement where it announced the extension of the visa fee validity to September 2023.
The statement reads: “The United States Embassy and Consulate in Nigeria understand that many visa applicants have paid the visa application processing fee and are still waiting to schedule a visa appointment. “We are working diligently to restore all routine visa operations as quickly and safely as possible. In the meantime, rest assured that the US Mission will extend the validity of your payment (known as MRV fee) until September 30, 2023, to allow all applicants who were unable to schedule a visa appointment as a result of the suspension of routine consular operations an opportunity to schedule and/attend a visa appointment with the already paid fee.”
This is coming at a time when applicants have been faced with serious difficulty securing appointment dates as thousands of applicants were confronted with serious difficulty getting appointment date. The earliest appointment date that many applicants are getting is nine months from the date of booking, a situation that unsettles them based on their reasons for visiting the US. Visa fee is only valid for one year from the date of payment.
The purpose of this extension is to accommodate applicants facing difficulty in booking appointment for non-immigrant visa and also enable all applicants get appointment date.
The embassy explained that it is working efficiently to restore routine consular services that were suspended because of COVID-19. This step is not just thoughtful but also a reassurance that the United State is working diligently to restore these routine consular services that were suspended in the last two years which is highly commendable.
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