The United States Embassy has announced new requirements for Nigerian visa applicants that will take effect from April 22, 2025. Applicants attending interviews at the embassy in Abuja or the consulate in Lagos must now present a DS-160 visa application form with a confirmation barcode beginning with “AA00”—a format that must match the barcode used to schedule their appointment.
The embassy made it clear that mismatched barcode details will lead to denial of entry into the consular section and disqualification from the interview process. Furthermore, applicants must attend their interviews in the same city selected when they initially filled out the DS-160 form.
The US mission emphasized the need for applicants to double-check the barcode alignment at least two weeks before their interview. If a mismatch is detected, applicants must log into their AVITS account no later than ten days before the scheduled appointment to submit a correction request. DS-160 forms used for past applications cannot be reused.
“If you are turned away from your appointment because your barcode numbers do not match,” the statement warned, “you will need to book a new appointment. If your visa fee has expired, you may also need to pay a new fee.”
This revision is part of the US government’s effort to improve the visa process and minimize administrative issues. Since January, all visa applicants have been required to visit the US Consulate General in Lagos twice as part of the visa process.
