The Consular Chief of the US Embassy, Stacie Hankins, had on Tuesday, November 25, 2014, disclosed that over 220,000 non-immigrant visa applications were received by the embassy in Abuja and the Consulate in Lagos between October 1, 2013, and September 30, 2014.
He made this disclosure in Abuja during a press meeting with journalists on the new visa procedures.
Hankins said the figure represented an increase of about 38,000 visa applications when compared with the 182,000 applications in the previous year.
The embassy disclosed that 15,500 immigrant visa applications were received last year, 14, 900 of the applications were granted; while the majority of the more than 182,000 non-immigrant visa applications for the same year were also approved.
“Between October 1, 2012 and September 30, 2013, the embassy in Abuja and consulate in Lagos received more than 182, 000 non-immigrant visa applications, of which 65 per cent was approved.
“Between October 1, 2013 and September 30, this year, we received more than 220, 000 applications. Again, the majority of those applications were approved,” said the consular chief.
Hankins added, “We hope that Nigerians’ desire to visit our beautiful country will continue to grow. And we look forward to working with our partners to allow qualified tourists and business travellers to do so.”
Since the bulk of visa non-immigrant applicant fall within the tourists and student categories, Hankins said the embassy had expanded its distribution centres to Port Harcourt.
“As is the case with our DHL partner locations in Lagos and Abuja, visa applicants with approved applications can now collect their passports with their new visas from the DHL collection centre in Port Harcourt.”
“Applicants will have the option of selecting any one of the three sites as their pickup location when they complete their online application. Similarly, applicants, who qualify for the drop box renewal programme, can submit their passports and applications to the Port Harcourt collection centre.”
