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About United States
General Requirements for United States Visa
Types of United States Visa
United States Visitor Visa
Processing Time 5-15 days
Duration of Stay duration of study
Visa Fee $160.00
Eligibility
- The United States visitor
visa is issued to foreigners who want to travel to the united states for
various short-stay purposes.
- Holders of this visa can go
to the United States to conduct businesses, sight-see, tour and even to
receive medical treatments.
- If you are going on tourism,
you will be under the B-2 visa category while business travelers are in
the B-1 category.
- A U.S. visitor's visa
is valid for 180 days (6 months) and can be extended for an additional 180
days. The maximum stay under a B1/B2 visa is 1 year.
- Those who want to conduct
businesses, negotiate and sign contracts or engage in any other form of
trade or commercial activities should take note of the following:
- The B-1 visa is strictly
for business and holders cannot work nor take up permanent residence in
the country.
- A letter from your employer
in Nigeria stating your position at work, salary and that you would
return to your job after the trip.
- The host company in The United States of America is to issue an invitation letter containing
details of the business to be conducted between the applicant and the
company.
- The company should also
state if they would sponsor the trip and if not, who the sponsor would
be.
- Before you would be granted
a business visa to the United States, you must show that you have a clean
criminal record from the last year.
- The B2 visa holders can go
on tourism, visit friends and families in the United States, and attend
ceremonies.
- If you want to receive
medical treatment in the United States, these documents are required:
- A letter from your doctor
in Nigeria, stating the illness, and previous treatments
- A recommendation letter to
the clinic in the United States stating possible treatments
- Letter of confirmation of
appointment from the hospital in the united states containing the date of
the appointment and duration of the treatment
- Bank statement not older
than six months showing that the applicant has sufficient funds for the treatment.
- All applicants are to have a
yellow fever vaccination certificate.
- This visa cannot be used to
study or take up any form of paid employment in the United States.
- It is important to have an
accommodation reservation for the trip. It could be a hotel reservation, a
rented apartment or with a host.
- Your host accommodating you
would have to send you a letter in which the relationship between you and
the host would be stated, the duration of your stay and contact details of
the host.
- A detailed itinerary of your
trip containing place(s) to be visited during your trip should be
submitted to the Consul.
- Do not overstay your visa,
if you do, you may be barred from returning to the U.S. for ten years or three years depending on the period of overstay. Visa
overstays may be restricted from applying for Extension of Stay or
Change of Status.
United States Work visa
Processing Time 5-15 days
Duration of Stay duration of study
Visa Fee $160.00
Eligibility
- Nigerians who want to work in the United States can apply for a work visa.
- This visa is issued to individuals for several categories of work such as
- H1B(specialty occupation)
- H2B(skilled and unskilled workers)
- H3(trainee)
- L-1(intra-company transferees)
- P(artists and entertainers)
- Q(international cultural exchange participant)
- The work visa allows the holder to engage in paid employment under the above-listed skill types for a period of time depending on the contract.
- Your prospective employer is required to file a petition that would be approved by the United States Citizen and Immigration Services(USCIS) and verified by PIMS. This would be done during your job interview.
- When you have secured the appropriate visa, you will need to get a permit to work, which is officially known as an Employment Authorization Document (EAD), in order to prove you are eligible to work in the United States.
- When going for your Consular interview, ensure that you go with the I-129 receipt.
- A work visa costs 190 USD and is usually valid for 1 year.
- If you are under the H2B skill category, your employer in the United States would have to provide proof of a shortage of workers as the reason why a foreigner was employed instead.
- Your B.sc or other forms of higher degree certificate is required. This will prove that the applicant is qualified for the position employed.
- Applicants are to present proof of civil status which could be a birth certificate, marriage certificate or child's birth certificate.
- You are also to provide proof of family ties back in Nigeria. It will show that the applicant intends to return to Nigeria at the termination of their work contract.
- Your employer is Nigeria is to issue a letter detailing the applicant's position and previous positions worked on.
- All applicants are to be vaccinated for yellow fever with a certificate called yellow card.
- You can travel with your spouse or children on a work visa.
United States Student visa
Processing Time 5-15 days
Duration of Stay duration of study
Visa Fee $160.00
Eligibility
- Individuals who want to study in the United States can apply for a student visa.
- This visa is of two types the F1 and M1 and are both valid for the duration of the course of study.
- To be eligible for the student visa, you must
- be accepted into a renowned academic institution in the United States
- be a university/college, high school, seminary or elementary school.
- take up approved language programs
- be enrolled in a course that lasts over 18 hours in a week.
- The M1 visa is issued to individuals who want to take up a vocational/non-academic course.
- Holders of both the F and M visa must resume their course within 5 months of getting the visa otherwise, they would lose their status.
- You can take up short courses such as cooking courses with a tourist visa.
- The admission/acceptance letter issued by the institution in the United States should be presented during the consular interview.
- Students are usually given a period of 60 days extra at the course completion to either leave the US or register for another course.
- If you are married or you have children that are still minors, a dependent visa called F-2 visa will be issued to them alongside your F-1 visa if they intend to live with you.
- Ensure that The officer at the port of entry issues a Form I-94 with expiration date indicated as
- Your transcripts, test scores from your school or other similar documents might be required.
- The institution you are applying to has to be a SEVP-approved school in the United States. After the school has accepted you, you will be registered for SEVIS and pay a fee different from the application fee.
- Whoever is accompanying you with an F2 visa has to also register for SEVIS but will not be required to pay the fee.
- Students must have a sponsor who would have to issue a proof of relationship.
- If you are on scholarship, you would have to submit the letter of scholarship which should state the duration of the scholarship, and how much of your studies the scholarship covers.
- You must show that you would return to your home country when your visa expires.
United States Visa Application Centres & Embassies in Nigeria
United States
Plot 1075, Diplomatic Drive, Central District, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone: +234 9 461 4000
Email: consularabuja@state.gov
United States
2, Walter Carrington Crescent, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.
Phone: +234 1 460 3600
Email: lagosiv@state.gov