The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has announced the immediate disengagement of Online Integrated Solutions (OIS Services) as the operator of Nigeria’s Visa Application and Submission Centres in the United States, directing all applicants to submit their visa requests directly to Nigerian diplomatic missions.
The announcement, made in a public notice issued on Thursday through the agency’s official X account, affects prospective travellers to Nigeria as well as Nigerians living in the United States who require visa services.
According to the NIS, the change takes effect immediately, ending OIS Services’ role in collecting and submitting visa applications on behalf of Nigerian missions in the United States.
“The Nigeria Immigration Service hereby informs the general public, particularly prospective travellers and Nigerians residing in the United States of America who may require a visa to enter Nigeria, that Online Integrated Solution (OIS Services), the operator of Nigeria’s Visa Application and Submission Centres in the United States, has officially been disengaged from the collection and submission of visa applications on behalf of the Nigerian Mission, effective immediately,” the notice stated.
Following the development, the immigration service directed all applicants seeking Nigerian visas to submit their applications directly at the Embassy of Nigeria in Washington, D.C., or at the Consulates General of Nigeria in New York and Atlanta until further notice.
The agency advised applicants to take note of the new arrangement to avoid delays or inconvenience in processing their visa requests.
The Consulate General of Nigeria in New York also confirmed the change in a separate notice posted on its official website.
According to the consulate, OIS Services has stopped receiving and submitting visa applications on behalf of the mission.
The notice informed prospective applicants, including members of the Nigerian diaspora, that all visa applications would now be handled directly by the Nigerian Embassy in Washington, D.C., and the country’s consulates in New York and Atlanta.
Before the latest announcement, OIS Services served as the outsourced visa application centre for Nigerian diplomatic missions across several cities in the United States.
The company operated visa application and submission centres in Washington, D.C., Houston, Atlanta, Los Angeles and New Jersey, where it handled document collection, biometric capturing and the submission of applications to Nigerian missions for processing.
The outsourcing arrangement was introduced to make visa processing easier by bringing services closer to applicants across different parts of the United States.
Applicants could complete parts of the visa process through the centres before their documents were forwarded to the appropriate Nigerian mission for final approval.
With the disengagement of OIS Services, applicants will now have to deal directly with the Nigerian Embassy or the designated consulates until a new arrangement is announced.
Neither the Nigeria Immigration Service nor Nigerian diplomatic missions in the United States explained why OIS Services was disengaged.
As of Thursday, no official reason had been given for the decision, and there was no indication of whether another service provider would be appointed to replace the company.
The absence of an explanation has led to questions among Nigerians living in the United States and other travellers who regularly rely on the visa centres for document processing.
However, immigration authorities have maintained that the immediate priority is ensuring that visa applications continue without disruption through the embassy and consulates.
The latest development comes at a time when Nigeria is implementing several reforms aimed at improving its immigration system, modernising visa services and strengthening border management.
In recent years, the Federal Government has introduced electronic visa systems, online application platforms and digital travel documentation as part of efforts to simplify entry procedures for visitors and improve service delivery.
The Nigeria Immigration Service has also expanded the use of technology to process passports and immigration documents while working to reduce delays and improve transparency.
The visa system remains an important part of Nigeria’s efforts to promote tourism, attract foreign investment and encourage business travel.
For many Nigerians living abroad, especially those with foreign family members, the availability of efficient visa services is essential for travel to Nigeria.
The United States is home to one of the largest Nigerian communities outside Africa, making visa services among the busiest handled by Nigerian diplomatic missions.
Thousands of business travellers, tourists, students and family members apply for Nigerian visas from the United States every year.
The decision to return visa application processing directly to the embassy and consulates is therefore expected to affect a large number of applicants.
Immigration authorities have urged prospective travellers to comply with the new directive and submit their applications only through the designated Nigerian diplomatic missions until further notice.
Applicants are also expected to monitor official announcements from the Nigeria Immigration Service and Nigerian missions in the United States for any future updates regarding visa processing arrangements.
For now, the Embassy of Nigeria in Washington, D.C., and the Consulates General in New York and Atlanta remain the only authorised centres for receiving and processing Nigerian visa applications in the United States.