WARDEN MESSAGES

Warden Message

Passports, Visas and Resident Permit Cards

January 15, 2009

The following message is being issued jointly by the U.S. Embassy Abuja and U.S. Consulate General Lagos for American citizens in Nigeria.

A number of Americans have been delayed or denied entry into Nigeria recently because of expired visas and resident cards.

This is a reminder to all Americans traveling to and from Nigeria to check the expiration date of their passports, entry visas, and Resident Permit cards PRIOR to travel. In addition, please remember to take your Resident Permit cards with you when you travel, as you may be required to present it for re-entry into Nigeria.

The U.S. Embassy and Consulate General ask that everyone please inspect the expiration date of their passports, visas, and resident cards and, if necessary, do the following:

If you find that your visa or resident card is expired or will be expiring before you are scheduled to leave the country, you must re-submit visa application forms, your passport, and photographs to the Nigerian Immigration Service.  It may take up to 4-6 weeks for you to receive all of your documents.

If you find that your passport is expired or will be expiring within 6 months, please see American Citizens Services in the Consular Section in Abuja or Lagos.  Many countries will not allow visitors to enter if their passport is going to expire within 6 months. Full-validity tourist passports take about 2 weeks to process. 

Limited-validity emergency tourist passports may be issued on a case-by-case basis only in extreme emergencies. 

It is prudent to ensure that all travel documents are valid at all times should job related or emergency travel become necessary. 

The U.S. Embassy Abuja is located at Plot 1075 Diplomatic Drive, Central Business District, Abuja. You can contact us by phone 24 hours a day at (234) 9-461-4000 or by e-mail at ConsularAbuja@state.gov.  The U.S. Consulate General Lagos is located at 2 Walter Carrington Crescent, Victoria Island, Lagos; the Consulate phone number is (234) 1-460-3400; e-mail: lagosacs@state.gov.  More information can be found on the U.S. Mission Nigeria Website at: http://nigeria.usembassy.gov.