AMERICAN CITIZEN SERVICES - ABUJA

Public Services

Emergency Services

The Embassy can assist in finding medical help, contacting family members in the U.S. and transferring emergency funds, visiting American Citizens in jail, contacting an attorney, and making arrangements in the event an American citizen dies.

To assist in emergencies, the American Embassy maintains lists of lawyers, physicians and hospitals. The Embassy assumes no responsibility for the professional ability or integrity of the persons on these lists.

American citizens in Nigeria needing emergency services after hours, on weekends or on holidays should contact the following numbers and ask for the duty officer:

Abuja: (234)-9-461-4000
Lagos: (234)-1-460-3600

Further information on the assistance we provide is available on the State Department website http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/tips/emergencies/emergencies_1212.html)

Certified True Copy

To obtain a Certified True Copy of any document, you must provide evidence that the document is for use in the U.S., ie. Court order, bank letter, and a photo ID.  Fee is US $30 or Nigerian naira equivalent.

Notary Services

Notary services are available to all U.S. passport holders and to foreign nationals for documents destined to be used in the United States. 

Those requiring notary services may visit the American Citizen Services Section Mondays through Thursdays between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., and Fridays between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m.

Notary services are executed by a Consular Officer and may include documents to be signed before them, statements made under oath, power of attorney, affidavits, true copies, and acknowledgments. Government-issued photo ID is required of persons signing documents to be notarized.

Note: The only notary public in Nigeria that is recognized in the United States is a U.S. Consular Officer at the Embassy.

Fees

Fees may be paid in U.S. dollars or the equivalent in Nigerian naira.

• US $30.00
• US $20.00 for each additional copy
• US $30.00 for each certified true copy of a document.

Selective Service Registration

U.S. male citizens who have attained the age of 18 years are required to register for the selective services.  For information on how to register; visit the following website http://www.sss.gov/  Dual nationals of the U.S. and another country are required to register, regardless of where they live, because they are U.S. nationals.

Tax Information

Filing U.S. Income Tax Returns U.S. Income Tax Returns

American citizens must report their worldwide income on their federal income tax returns. Living abroad or earning income outside the United States does not relieve a US Citizen of the responsibility for filing a tax return. However, U.S. citizens living and/or working abroad may be entitled to various deductions, exclusions and credits. The Consular Section has a limited supply of federal tax forms. No state or local tax forms are provided.

For more information on U.S. tax issues, technical tax questions and individual IRS forms please consult the Internal Revenue Service web page.