Email from U.S. Consulate General in Lagos, Nigeria

Dana and Divine · August 13, 2012

Hi All-

I asked Lagos a question about interview dates. If they schedule them only one or two weeks out of the month, or all month long. This is the auto response I received back. There was some good information listed and I'm posting it, just in case you'd like to review any of it. One thing is for sure...we can never learn too much about this process!

God bless you all..................................................................................................

Visa inquiries may not be made in person at the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos except by American citizens or by Legal Permanent Residents requiring assistance with their travel documents.

Thank you for your inquiry. After analyzing the large number of incoming emails, we are providing this automatic response to answer the most frequently asked questions. If this response does not answer your question, please be patient for a specific response, usually within three business days.

If your question is addressed in the list of Frequently Asked Questions below, our office will consider that your question has been satisfactorily answered.

For security reasons, we cannot open or read any e-mails with attachments. If you have sent this email with an attachment, please resend it without the attachment.

If your inquiry concerns a nonimmigrant visa case, please resend your email to LagosNIV@state.gov

If your inquiry concerns a student visa case, please resend your email to LagosStudentVisas@state.gov

If your inquiry concerns American Citizen Services, please resend your email to LagosACS@state.gov

Frequently Asked Questions: Table of Contents

1. I have sent multiple inquiries, but have not gotten a response. Why?

2. Can I come to the Consulate to inquire about my case?

3. How can my family join me in the United States?

4. When will I get an appointment?

5. I have not received Packet Four. How do I get it?

6. Can you tell me whether a petition has been received in Lagos?

7. Can I file an immigrant visa petition in Lagos?

8. What if I cancel or miss my appointment?

9. Where will the interview take place?

10. What photos do I need to bring?

11. What documents do I need to bring?

12. How do I add a family member to my case?

13. Does the petitioner need to come to the interview?

14. Who must attend the interview? Do I need to bring all my children?

15. Do I owe any money for the visas? What are the visa fees?

16. How do I book my medical exam?

17. What happens when a case is recommended for revocation?

18. What is the cost of filing a waiver? How do I check on the status of my waiver?

19. How do I check my priority date?

20. What do I do if my Permanent Residence (Green) card is lost or expired?

21. How do I get a transportation letter? What is the fee?

22. Where can I get more information about immigrant and diversity visas, and NVC?

Q1: I have sent multiple inquiries but have not gotten a response. Why?

A: Our Correspondence Unit receives thousands of inquiries every month. In order to serve applicants faster, we cannot respond to inquiries requesting confirmation of receipt of documents or faxes. In addition, we hope that this list of FAQs will provide you the information you are seeking. We work hard to answer every email as quickly as possible.

Q2: Can I come to the Consulate to inquire about my case?

A: No. Due to diminished capacity as a result of ongoing renovations at our premises, we will no longer answer routine visa inquiries in person.

American citizens with visa inquiries or Legal Permanent Residents requiring assistance with their travel documents may visit the U.S. Consulate General for assistance Monday through Thursday at 11:00 a.m. All other applicants should direct their inquiries to LagosIV@state.gov. All required forms and other documents may be found on our website here: http://nigeria.usembassy.gov/immigrant_visa_forms.html or by emailing LagosIV@state.gov.

Q3: How can my family join me in the United States?

A. If you are a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident and want to obtain immigrant visas for your family to join you in the United States, you must first file a petition with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). For further information visit: www.uscis.gov or travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1310.html

Q4: When will I get an appointment?

A: If NVC sent you a letter stating that your file is complete and has been sent to Lagos for scheduling, please wait for your appointment letter to be sent to you. This can take several months, depending on the type of immigrant visa filed. You can expect to receive this appointment letter several weeks before your appointment. If the original documents were sent to NVC, please remember to bring photocopies of all documents, including birth, marriage, divorce certificates, etc. to your appointment.

If your inquiry concerns an immigrant visa case in which the I-130 petition was filed in the United States, and it has not been scheduled for an appointment, please send your inquiry directly to the National Visa Center. To contact NVC, please email: NVCInquiry@state.gov. If you have been informed by USCIS that your petition has been approved and forwarded to the Department of State, please contact NVC directly.

If you were selected for the Diversity Visa lottery, please contact the Kentucky Consular Center (KCC) for your appointment date at: KCCDV@state.gov

Q5: I never received Packet Four. How do I get it?

A: To download Packet Four or the preparatory packet for K1/K3 visas, please visit our website at: http://nigeria.usembassy.gov/immigrant_visa_forms.html to download and print the forms. If you are not able to download the forms from the website, you may email us at LagosIV@state.gov to request that we send you Packet 4 or the K1/K3 preparatory packet.

Q6: Can you tell me whether a petition I filed in the United States has been received in Lagos?

A: Yes. Please send us an email with the last name of the beneficiary as well as the case number (the one that begins with LGS).

Q7: Can I file an Immigrant Visa petition in Lagos?

A: USCIS has changed it's policy on filing Forms I-130, Petitions for Alien Relatives. Effective August 15, 2011, all petitioners residing overseas in countries in which USCIS does not have a field office (this includes Nigeria), must file their Form I-130 petitions by mail with the USCIS Chicago lockbox. USCIS will be publishing amended instructions for forms I-130 to reflect this processing change on their website at www.uscis.gov. Petitions are to be filled to the following addresses: 1: USCIS Chicago Lockbox addresses for regular mail deliveries: USCIS, P.O. Box 804625, Chicago, IL 60680-4107 or 2: USCIS Chicago Lockbox address for express mail and courier deliveries: USCIS, Attn: I-130, 131 South Dearborn-3rd Floor, Chicago, IL 60603-5517.

For additional information about how to file a Form I-130 with the USCIS Chicago lockbox, please see the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov or contact USCIS by phone at 1-800-375-5283

Q8: What if I cancel or miss my appointment?

A: Please send us an e-mail with your name, case number, and contact address. We will contact you by email with the next available appointment date. We are currently scheduling appointments three to four months from today. Please note that we can reschedule a Diversity Visa appointment only ONE time. If you miss your rescheduled DV appointment, we will not reschedule you a second time.

Q9: Where will the interview take place?

A: All visa interviews for immigrant visas take place at the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos. We are located at 2 Walter Carrington Crescent (formerly Eleke Crescent) on Victoria Island.

Q10: What photos do I need to bring?

A: Two color passport photos are required for the interview. The required size is typical for passports: 1½ inches by 1½ inches (5 cm x 5 cm). It is a good idea to bring an extra photo. For more detailed information on photo requirements, please visit: http://www.travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_3746.html.

If you are applying for a family-based immigrant visa, you should bring photographs showing you with the petitioner as evidence of the relationship.

Q11: What documents do I need to bring?

A: The required documents are listed on the checklist provided by NVC or on our prior communications with you. Remember, however, that each case is different. Please remember to bring ORIGINAL records of birth, marriage, divorce, police certificates, etc., including birth certificates of the petitioner if the petitioner is a son, daughter or sibling of the applicant. Please also bring a photocopy of each document. If applying for a family-based immigrant visa, you should bring any evidence (photographs, correspondence, phone records, etc.) that demonstrates the relationship between you and the petitioner.

You must bring an international passport. If you are qualified for the visa, we will keep it until the visa is printed and placed in the passport. Please make sure that the passport is valid for at least six months, and that there are no written observations. If there is a written observation, you will be asked to get another passport. For more details about original documents, please visit:

http://www.travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_3741.html.

Q12: How do I add a family member to my case?

A: If you are inquiring about a new family member whom you wish to add to an approved petition stored at NVC, please contact NVC in writing, providing the petitioner's and beneficiary's names and dates of birth, case number, receipt number, and a copy of the birth certificate. To contact NVC by phone, you must call between 7:30 a.m. and midnight, Monday to Friday, Eastern Standard Time (EST). It may be easier to reach NVC during the morning. Follow the prompts to speak with an operator. NVC's telephone number is: 603-334-0700. You may also inquire via e-mail at NVCInquiry@state.gov.

For Diversity Visa entries, if you are inquiring about adding a family member (that was NOT a family member at the time of your Diversity Visa entry) to your DV case, it can be done on the day of your interview at the U.S. Consulate. All normal DV fees apply for this family member.

Q13: Does the petitioner need to come to the interview?

A: Because of space restrictions, petitioners are not permitted into the interview room. However, a family member may come to aid elderly applicants or young children.

Q14: Who must attend the interview? Do I need to bring all my children?

A: All applicants must be in attendance for their interview. Waiting times at the Consulate can be long.

Q15: Do I owe any money for the visas? What are the visa fees?

A: If you have been receiving documentation from the National Visa Center, then most likely you have already paid the visa fee. If not, the current IV fee is U.S. $230 per applicant regardless of age.

All Diversity Visa lottery applicants must pay the $330 fee per applicant to the U.S. Consulate General Lagos on the day of the interview.

All K-1 and K-3 visas must pay the $240 immigrant (visitor) visa application fee. The K-1 and K-3 fee may be paid at the U.S. Consulate General Lagos on the day of your interview.

Fees at the U.S. Consulate can be paid in dollars or in equivalent Naira at the current U.S. Consulate exchange rate.

Q16: How do I book my medical exam?

A: We only accept medical examinations from two medical facilities in Nigeria: Q-Life family Clinic, Plot 155A Prince Ade Odedina Street, Off Ajose Adeogun, Victoria Island, Lagos 01-804-2000 or 01-726-2840 Cell: 0702-770-4055 or the Children's Practice Ltd., 25 Raymond Njoku, Ikoyi, Lagos; 01-893-0723. Please <file:///C:\Documents%20and%20Settings\hoffmanem\Local%20Settings\Temporary%20Internet%20Files\OLK49B\Please> contact these clinics to schedule your medical examination. Medical packets are available at the clinic or at http://nigeria.usembassy.gov/immigrant_visa_forms.html

Q17: What happens if my beneficiary was denied a visa and told that the case was recommended for revocation?

A: When a Consular Officer recommends that a petition be revoked, the case is sent from the U.S. Consulate General Lagos to the National Visa Center (NVC). NVC then forwards the case to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services' office where the petition was originally approved. The U.S. Consulate General no longer has jurisdiction over a case once it has been recommended for revocation. As such, you should contact NVC at NVCInquiry@state.gov or USCIS for further information about your case. Contact information for USCIS can be found at www.uscis.gov. Please note that it can take several months for a case to be sent from Lagos to the United States.

Q18: What is the cost to file a waiver? How do I check the status of my waiver?

A: The fee to file an I-601 waiver is $585. The fee to file an I-212 waiver also is $585. If you are filing both waivers, the total cost is $1170. Waivers are accepted at 7:00 a.m. on Fridays except for the last Friday of every month.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) adjudicates all waivers. The U.S. Consulate only accepts waivers and then forwards them to USCIS. You may contact the local DHS/USCIS office in Accra, Ghana, to inquire about your case's status. The office can be reached at: https://egov.uscis.gov/crisgwi/go?action=offices.detail&OfficeLocator.office_type=OS&OfficeLocator.statecode=arm&office=acc

USCIS has issued a new I-601 form. DHS will continue to accept the previous version of the form, dated 10/30/08 Y, through November 20, 2009. Beginning November 21, 2009 USCIS will only accept the revised Form I-601, dated 04/06/09 N, and will reject all requests using previous editions of the form.

Q19: How do I check my priority date?

A: The Department of State publishes the list of current priority dates every month (known as the Visa Bulletin). You can find the current one, as well as archived bulletins, at: http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/bulletin/bulletin_1360.html.

Q20: What do I do if my Permanent Residence Card (Green Card) is lost or expired?

A: Please come to the U.S. Consulate General Monday through Thursday at 11:00 a.m. for inquiry so that we can assist you further.

Q21: How do I get a boarding foil (transportation letter)? What is the fee?

A: Please come to the U.S. Consulate General Monday through Thursday at 11:00 a.m. for inquiry in order to obtain the necessary forms. There is no fee for obtaining the boarding foil (transportation letter).

Q22: Where can I get more information about immigrant visas, the Diversity Visa lottery, and the National Visa Center (NVC)?

A: For information about immigrant visas and the National Visa Center, please visit: http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1309.html.

For information about the Diversity Visa lottery and the Kentucky Consular Center, please visit:

http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1321.html.

For information about the interview process, please visit: http://www.travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_3731.html.

A glossary of technical definitions of terms for visas can be found at: http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/glossary/glossary_1363.html.

Another useful website is for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), which is responsible for adjudicating waivers, processing green cards and granting U.S. citizenship, and can be found at: www.uscis.gov <http://www.uscis.gov/> .

Mohoganyme · August 14, 2012

Good Info :thumbs:

Ryan H · August 14, 2012

Moved from IR-1/CR-1 Process & Procedures to Africa: Sub-Saharan regional forum; topic is specific to visa unit procedures at the US Consulate in Lagos Nigeria.

del-2-5-2014 · August 14, 2012

"Q4: When will I get an appointment? A: If NVC sent you a letter stating that your file is complete and has been sent to Lagos for scheduling, please wait for your appointment letter to be sent to you. This can take several months, depending on the type of immigrant visa filed. You can expect to receive this appointment letter several weeks before your appointment. If the original documents were sent to NVC, please remember to bring photocopies of all documents, including birth, marriage, divorce certificates, etc. to your appointment. If your inquiry concerns an immigrant visa case in which the I-130 petition was filed in the United States, and it has not been scheduled for an appointment, please send your inquiry directly to the National Visa Center. To contact NVC, please email: NVCInquiry@state.gov. If you have been informed by USCIS that your petition has been approved and forwarded to the Department of State, please contact NVC directly. If you were selected for the Diversity Visa lottery, please contact the Kentucky Consular Center (KCC) for your appointment date at: KCCDV@state.gov"

Watch out now, dumb question coming up.

I know it says the underlined but then why is this link on their website with instructions for setting up your own appointment?

Thanks for sharing by the way.

Ebun12 · August 15, 2012

Another dumb you should already know question is I paid the IV bill. So they have to pay another visa bill at the embassy?

Ryan H · August 17, 2012

Another dumb you should already know question is I paid the IV bill. So they have to pay another visa bill at the embassy?

For a spousal visa, all fees related to the visa itself will have already been paid to the NVC. There may be a courier fee for return of the passport; however, this requires a Lagos specific answer.

bukaldrinio · April 16, 2018

we have been on administrative processing for 5months after our cr1 was approved in December 12 2017 and passport was returned to me next day,they sent me email to verify my divorce decree in high court which i did and submit,then in February they requested for billofladding stated that I told them during my non immigrant visa applications that was refused many times that I deal on cars and I sent the whole billofladings both non negotiable and telex about 54 pcs.....on march we start to inquire since it has been over 60 days and we received this email which we don't really understand.......
The immigrant visa application of bukaldrinio is still undergoing administrative processing, in order to verify his qualifications for this visa. We are still awaiting the response from Washington. There is no update at this time. Please be assured that we will notify him by email or phone as soon as the processing is complete.

Questions
I thought ap is handled my embassy and what is the reason for consulting with Washington DC....... This is really hard on us.has anyone encounter such.advice is needed too.

ABSM · April 16, 2018

3 hours ago, bukaldrinio said:

we have been on administrative processing for 5months after our cr1 was approved in December 12 2017 and passport was returned to me next day,they sent me email to verify my divorce decree in high court which i did and submit,then in February they requested for billofladding stated that I told them during my non immigrant visa applications that was refused many times that I deal on cars and I sent the whole billofladings both non negotiable and telex about 54 pcs.....on march we start to inquire since it has been over 60 days and we received this email which we don't really understand.......
The immigrant visa application of bukaldrinio is still undergoing administrative processing, in order to verify his qualifications for this visa. We are still awaiting the response from Washington. There is no update at this time. Please be assured that we will notify him by email or phone as soon as the processing is complete.

Questions
I thought ap is handled my embassy and what is the reason for consulting with Washington DC....... This is really hard on us.has anyone encounter such.advice is needed too.

We are in the same situation. My fiance had his K1 Visa interview in September of last year and we have been on AP every since. We and my Senator rep have been given the same information as you "waiting on Washington" since starting to follow up. I am not sure if they are doing another background check or what. I will follow the post to see if anyone else has any insight! Thanks for your post @bukaldrinio

Edited April 16, 2018 by ABSM

bukaldrinio · April 16, 2018

1 hour ago, ABSM said:

We are in the same situation. My fiance had his K1 Visa interview in September of last year and we have been on AP every since. We and my Senator rep have been given the same information as you "waiting on Washington" since starting to follow up. I am not sure if they are doing another background check or what. I will follow the post to see if anyone else has any insight! Thanks for your post @bukaldrinio

I'm sorry to hear that,I know how hard it is for us from December till now...here u are from sept......I pray for them to do this fast.........inbox me so that we relate more since we are in same shoe

bukaldrinio · August 13, 2018

We contacted the embassy for updates ,we have been in AP since December 13 2017 and they sent us thus...

Thank you for your inquiry.
At this time, there is no new information. The petition is being reviewed by Washington at this time and the standard wait time has been up to 120 days for reviews to be completed. However, based on the current number of petitions worldwide that are being reviewed, we have been advised that the time frame has increased. We have again requested a status update but cannot determine how long it will take for the review to be finished.

Sincerely,

Visa Unit

US CONSULATE GENERAL

LAGOS, NIGERIA

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Email from U.S. Consulate General in Lagos, Nigeria

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