International

US Embassy Releases Stricter Visa Interview Guidelines for Nigerians

Published

2 weeks ago

Apr 13, 2025.

Femi Fabunmi

Applicants must present a DS-160 form with a matching barcode number used to book their appointment.
Interviews must be attended at the location selected during the DS-160 application process.
Incorrect barcode details will lead to denial of entry and require rescheduling of the visa interview.

The United States Embassy in Nigeria has announced new rules for visa interviews, starting April 22, 2025.

In a statement released on Friday, the embassy said all visa applicants in Abuja and Lagos must come with a DS-160 visa application form. This form must have a confirmation or barcode number that begins with “AA” and is followed by “00.” This number must match the one used to book the visa appointment.

The embassy also said that people must attend the interview at the same location (Abuja or Lagos) they chose when filling out their DS-160 form.

Important Information:

If the barcode number on your DS-160 form doesn’t match the one used to book your appointment, you won’t be allowed into the visa section or be interviewed.

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Applicants are advised to check at least two weeks before their interview to make sure the barcode number on their DS-160 matches the one used to schedule the appointment.

You cannot use a DS-160 form from an old application.

How to Fix Barcode Issues: If your DS-160 barcode is wrong, log in to your AVITS account at least 10 days before your interview. Then, create a support ticket to ask for help correcting the barcode number.

If You Are Turned Away: If you are turned back because of a wrong barcode number, you must fix the issue and then book a new appointment. To do this, log into your AVITS account. If your visa fee has expired, you may need to pay again.