Immigrant Visas

Immigrant visas entitle the recipient to permanent resident status in the United States. "Green Card" holders may live and work there, and eventually become naturalized if they so desire.

Most immigration petitions are initiated by a close relative or an employer in the United States. The petition is filed with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. All final interviews and approvals are done at the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos. After initial approval, applicants will be notified by the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos about documentation requirements and how to schedule the final interview. Required medical examinations for immigrant visas are conducted only in Lagos and only by doctors certified by the U.S. Consulate General.

Certain categories of immigrant visas are numerically controlled. This may necessitate a waiting period before the application can be further processed. Petitioners should anticipate a delay of up to approximately six months to complete the procedure and be scheduled for a final interview.

Due to diminished capacity as a result of ongoing renovations at our premises, as of July 1, 2009, 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 [link to the new page below] or by emailing LagosIV@state.gov.

The fee for an immigrant visa is $355.00 payable in cash in U.S. dollars or Naira equivalent. In addition, there is a $45.00 security surcharge. We do not accept checks or credit cards.

Types of Immigrant Visas

• Adoptions
• Fiancée 
• Family member to follow 
• Diversity Visa Lottery (important information for Nigerians with scheduled DV appointments)

Immigrant Visa Forms [here]

Please follow the link above to download the forms that must be completed in preparation for your immigrant visa interview

Visa Inquiries
Lagos: (234)-1-261-5697/5699
or LagosIV@state.gov