The Nigeria Immigration Service has officially disengaged Online Integrated Solution, popularly known as OIS Services, from handling Nigerian visa applications in the United States, a move that takes effect immediately and directly affects thousands of prospective travelers and Nigerians residing across America. The announcement came through a statement signed by the Service Public Relations Officer, DCI Akinsola Akinlabi, on Thursday, marking a significant shift in how Nigerians in the diaspora will now access visa services.
For years, OIS Services operated as the contracted third party responsible for collecting and submitting visa applications on behalf of the Nigerian Mission across its US centers, giving applicants a network of local offices in cities like Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles and New Jersey where they could handle biometrics and paperwork without traveling directly to a diplomatic mission. That arrangement has now been terminated, and the immigration service says the decision affects anyone in the United States who needs a Nigerian visa to travel home or visit the country.
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According to the statement, all applicants seeking Nigerian visas must now submit their applications directly at the Embassy of Nigeria in Washington DC, or at the Consulates of Nigeria in New York and Atlanta, until further notice is given. This effectively centralizes visa processing back into official diplomatic channels rather than the outsourced network that many applicants had grown used to over recent years.
The immigration service moved quickly to reassure the public that the transition would not disrupt service delivery, stating that the Embassy and the Consulates have already put adequate measures in place to ensure seamless submission, processing and issuance of visas going forward. Applicants have also been advised to keep an eye on official communication channels from both the Nigeria Immigration Service and the Nigerian Mission in the United States, as further updates on the new application procedures are expected in the coming days and weeks.
This development lands at a particularly sensitive moment for Nigeria US travel relations. It comes just months after the United States introduced tighter visa rules for Nigerian nationals, including a controversial bond requirement of up to fifteen thousand dollars for certain B1 and B2 visa categories that took effect in January. With scrutiny already high on both sides of the travel relationship, Nigeria ending its partnership with OIS adds another layer of change that applicants will need to navigate carefully.
For Nigerians in the US currently mid process with an existing OIS appointment, or those planning to apply soon, the practical takeaway is straightforward for now. Applications should be routed directly to the Washington DC Embassy or the New York and Atlanta Consulates rather than through OIS centers, and applicants should confirm requirements with the Mission before showing up, since procedures during this transition period could still be adjusted. The Nigeria Immigration Service says it appreciates the patience of the public as it works to keep the process running smoothly during the changeover.
