Despite the ongoing partial shutdown of the United States government, the US Embassy in Nigeria has assured that visa and passport services will continue without disruption — at least for now.
In a statement posted Wednesday on its official X (formerly Twitter) account, the Embassy addressed growing concerns among Nigerians, particularly students and travelers, that the shutdown in Washington might delay consular services.
“At this time, scheduled passport and visa transit services in the United States and at U.S. Embassies and Consulates overseas will continue during the lapse in appropriations as the situation permits,” the notice read.
However, the Embassy cautioned that its social media updates would be limited, except for urgent safety or security information, due to funding constraints.
What’s Behind the Shutdown?
The US government shutdown, triggered by a budget impasse in Congress, has affected numerous federal agencies. The standoff primarily involves disputes over health care funding and other Democratic policy priorities, which Republican lawmakers have resisted.
The failure to reach a funding agreement led to the halting of non-essential services across several federal departments. Essential operations such as the military, postal services, and social welfare programs like Social Security and food stamps remain active.
Former President Donald Trump, defending the shutdown, claimed it would help him phase out programs tied to Democratic policy goals.
What Nigerians Should Know
The US Embassy in Abuja and the Consulate in Lagos will continue processing visa and passport applications for Nigerians, as long as conditions permit. Nigerians with upcoming student visas, tourist visa interviews, or passport-related appointments are advised not to panic.
“Due to the lapse in appropriations, this X account will not be updated regularly until full operations resume, with the exception of urgent safety and security information,” the embassy added.
The Embassy also advised Nigerians to monitor official updates via travel.state.gov for any changes regarding consular services.
