₦airaland Forum

Tomi321:
Good day everyone. My question is not related to this but I would still like to ask just incase someone has the information i need. I have a valid b1/b2 tourist visa valid till 2029. i have previously been in the US about 3 times before now and I plan visiting again in March 2026. I bought my roundtrip ticket last year with the intention to visit a family friend and stay there for about 4 months. However, with the recent updates and news flying around, I heard that the i-94 stamped for people who have travelled this year is just a few days (hearsay). Now my question is this, should i carrry on with my plan of staying in the US from march to July (4 months) or reschedule my return flight to stay for just a few weeks? If i carry on with my previous plan of spending 4 months, will i be admitted by the CBP officer or will my duration of stay raise unnecessary questions/concerns or even denial at the port of entry?
Any advice or useful information from recent travelers will be appreciate.
Thanks in advance.

By default, i94 for b1/b2 is 6 months but during my interview last year I saw people get denied for staying for 3 months or more. So as someone that has gotten a visa and has proven ties to Nigeria, the next time you apply for a visa, it will raise flags, they will ask you about it at the embassy.

That being said, this applies to the embassy. For point of entry, they will ask you questions too and can deny you entry, you need to justify what you’re doing there for 4 months. Even though i94 is 6 months, someone that is visiting will raise suspicion if trying to stay for 4 months.

If I were in your shoes, I would book my return ticket for 2 months and pay for the ticket type that will allow me to adjust the date for free. So when you are in the us , you have the freedom to decide what you want to do and when you want to leaves

IvoryT:
Avoid attempting to win an argument without grounding your position in verifiable facts. What you shared is already widely known and is not the issue under discussion.

Kindly take the time to carefully review the information provided below to gain proper factual clarity before responding further. Thank you.

Visa Bond Requirement
• The U.S. Department of State has expanded a visa bond program that applies to certain non-immigrant visas (especially B-1/B-2 business and tourist visas) for nationals of several countries including Nigeria. Under this program, eligible applicants may be required to post a refundable bond of $5,000, $10,000, or up to $15,000 at the time of visa issuance, as determined by a consular officer during the interview.
• This bond requirement does not guarantee visa issuance it is just one part of the U.S. government’s compliance measures tied to overstay and screening concerns.

Temporary Visa Restrictions / Bans
• Separately, the U.S. government implemented broader travel and visa restrictions under Presidential Proclamation 10998, effective January 1, 2026. This expanded travel ban includes partial or full suspensions of certain visa categories (including B-1/B-2, F, M, J, and some immigrant visas) for nationals of many countries, including Nigeria.
• Under that policy, nationals of affected countries who are outside the United States and do not hold a valid existing visa may not be issued new visas in the restricted categories even if the online system shows interview slots.

Has the Temporary Restriction/Ban Been Lifted?
No official statement from the U.S. Embassy or the Department of State has confirmed that the temporary restriction/banned status on the affected visa categories (like B-1/B-2 for Nigeria) has been lifted.
• There is no verified embassy announcement that the ban has been removed and replaced simply with the visa bond requirement.

How the Two Policies Relate
• The visa bond program is a policy on financial compliance for certain visa issuances.
• The temporary visa restrictions/ban is a separate travel restriction policy tied to national security and screening, under a Presidential Proclamation.
These two can exist simultaneously, but the existence of the bond requirement doesn’t automatically mean that the temporary bans have been lifted.

Practical Implication
Until there is explicit, official communication from the U.S. Embassy or State Department saying the temporary visa restriction on affected categories has ended, the safest assumption is that the restriction remains in effect, and the availability of interview slots* does not necessarily guarantee visa issuance

The thing is that I’m still on the edge. I believe visas are being issued and that they are not.

I’ve seen enough information pointing at the two. But I know how emabassy dealings can be especially after going through that sudden wait last year for Dropbox that took 8 weeks. I know for a fact that nobody can know what is going on internally.

Only people that go there can actually get a glimpse of what’s going on.

We just need facts from people that have gone. Nothing can be conclusive till then.

I think we all get that expect for Efetobore. It’s shameful how he has handled this whole situation. It’s just giving tyranny and facism on the group.

IvoryT:
This reflects a shallow line of reasoning driven more by wishful thinking than verifiable facts. It is important to approach such matters with evidence and sound analysis rather than assumptions.

If there is a claim that the U.S. Embassy has lifted the restriction and replaced it with a bond requirement, then credible, official communication should be provided to substantiate that position. Assertions of that magnitude require documented proof, not speculation.

Unfortunately, public discourse often suffers when opinions are presented as facts without proper verification. An objective situation should be assessed based on documented evidence, not on what one hopes to be true.

1. You are wasting your time trying to relate in a reasonable manner with Efetobore

2. The us embassy did actually mention the bond system of paying $5k,$10k or $15k if you are eligible for the visa. But no further information has come out since then. Eligibility could mean a lot of things, there a whole lot of other non immigrant categories besides b1/b2. So nothing has been particularly addressed about the bond situation and no participating witness has come out here to share their experience at the embassy. That is where the issue is. Efetobore is here trying to force medicine down our throats.

3. It may be good people halt their visa applications for now at the same time there might be a scenario where visas are being issued. We do not have information to be on either side. So we need people that have experienced what is going on to let us know.

4. Lastly, I will mention it again that trying to relate with Efetobore is a waste of your time. He clearly believes he is above all of us in age, reasoning and authority.

Efetobore1980:
Bàba Sàlá the jester 😀 221g is a temporary denial , therefore, it is still a denial on the day of your interview because while others go home with visa- pick up slip you went home with 221 denial slip which can still resulted to permanent denial.

Look, we know ourselves. Let's keep posting only the truth and the direct information from the U.S embassy on Nairaland and let's stop creating unnecessary fear.

What do you mean on the day of my interview. Do you know what Dropbox is and how it works? I clearly stated earlier that when I was called in for interview I was issued the visa. They just had to clarify somethings from previous visits.

I don’t know if you’re intentionally being confused or you don’t know how the visa process works. 221g from Dropbox means you’re going in for interview. Maybe you’re not aware.

All that being said, let’s be posting credible information here and when you have an opinion that is not factual, you owe to the people to know. Imagine people that have been influenced by all the rubbish you’ve been saying here since Jan 1 only for us to find out this weekend that you’ve only just been running your mouth. (Apologies for using rubbish, not to insult you but it’s the perfect description of what you’ve been feeding people here). Someone new would come to this thread and think you’re an embassy staff or even the American ambassador to Nigeria.

Pipe low bro. Let the ban play its course. Let the people with first hand experience come and talk.

Efetobore1980:
Stop fooling yourselves. You applied for drop box last year , you are still going for an appointment soon. Next year 2027 you will still do the same. Don't you know that there is history on your Nairaland profiles ?

I am not against travel agents antics but don't deceive or mislead people because of your personal gains. I am not an embassy staff but you should be in primary -3 when I started the U.S visa processing works. I graduated from travel agent to International Travel consultant (strictly on U.S visas). Hence, my higher IQ to resist deception.

Anyways, do you have the $15,000 bond ? because you can't get the visa without it based on your last year 221g refusal..

Mr expert, if you really were an expert you would know that 221g is not denial. But clearly you’re not an expert even though you have willingly told us here that you are 50+ years of age.

I did Dropbox, got called in hence the 221g and I got my visa 3 months single entry. Didn’t use it of course because it was too late for what I wanted to do in USA and I had elsewhere to travel to for work and Now I’m back here applying for another visa.

Thank you again for taking your time to go through my profile to prove my point that there really is a problem with you. You seem like a very insecure of controlling person. I have done you no wrong by letting people know that something else might be happening at the embassy as opposed to ‘your opinion’ and that we should wait and rely on facts.

Anyway, I don’t expect this ban to linger for too long anymore based on the bilateral relations we are seeing between Nigeria and USA at the moment but when the ban is lifted and applications start flowing, people here now will never forget. Your credibility has been shattered, as a person and then as a visa expert.

AdisaMighty:
Keyword is dual citizenship. ie Nigerian-American, you said Nigerian without hyphenating.

This Efetobore crash out is alarming. He doesn’t know he is self sabotaging himself.

@efetobore At a point I used to think you were an expert in this USA visa thing, I even used to think you were an embassy staff too.

Look at you here exposing how you think and your assumptions based on what you feel.

Bro, me I’m chilling, I’m good, end of month I will do my interview and come back here with review, I’ve posted what an embassy staff ‘believes’ is going on (you know why I like the embassy staff’s reply, it’s because he used the phrase to the best of his knowledge’. Imaging an embasssy staff saying that and Efetobore that knows the receptionist at OIS coming to tell us he is 10000% sure it is like this. I did Dropbox last year, no OIS staff is in any place to give you update about embassy doings.

All of this being said, Efetobore your crash out is so unnecessary, it’s almost like you want to be so important on this group that you are fighting the thought of us having an open opinion about what is going on at the embassy which till now we still don’t know.

Pipe low. Let people that have gone there this year come forward. Let’s rely on credible information rather that what you feel is happening.

Dasolajay:
Update on what I’ve done so far, I went ahead and started my application through the France-Visas platform and I was able to secure a biometrics appointment at TLS next week.

To keep my application straightforward, I adjusted my itinerary so that my first entry into the Schengen Area will be the Netherlands since my employer is Netherlands-based and I will have an office visit there, and then I will travel to Czech for the kickoff event

Documents I’m gathering for the appointment:

Completed Schengen application form + France-Visas receipt + TLS appointment confirmation

Passport + passport photographs

6-month bank statement (current balance is about 3m naira )

Axa Mansard Travel insurance, I did for 9 days

Hotel reservation in Amsterdam (Netherlands)

Hotel reservation in Prague (Czech Republic)

Flight reservations

Cover letter explaining the trip and itinerary

Employment Agreement

Invitation Letter

Marriage certificate (to support ties to Nigeria)

Gurus in the house, I’d really appreciate your thoughts, does this look like a strong application ? If there’s anything else you think I should add or remove before my appointment, please let me know.

Thanks you🙏

I see an easy rejection here based on the fact that they will refer you to another embassy

Efetobore1980:
You are kinda funny. Do you think I and the elites on Nairaland are primary school pupils you can share biscuit and coca cola to ? We should just believe the message you posted came from the embassy staff ? Okay post the staff id card and employment letter. If you cannot do that I won't believe you till ages. That is to tell you the level of my IQ.

Stop assumption. There are many Nigerian staffs inside the embassy in the core departments because the US embassy employ with equal opportunity. That message you posted is not from any staff of the embassy. It's an artificial created.

Bro this your statement is low level thinking. So you think I would go out of my way to create a message to prove something to you who I don’t know from Adam? Is this the sort of thing you would do? Because your message ricks of insecurity.

I’m dumbfounded. To think that you’re the one giving people information like a visa expert and you think like this

Efetobore1980:
OIS are working in tandem with the U.S embassy and they get first hand information that you as a layman cannot get. Besides, is drop-box the only duty of OIS ? Do you know the meaning of the grammar obsolete?

Okay let's forget about that. What did your contact at the U.S embassy say about the B1/B2 visa application? We are waiting to read from you.

I assumed drop box was the only duty of OIS because normal interview pickups are done at dhl. In that case, the fact that Dropbox has been stopped, obsolete will be the proper word to use in this situation.

Maybe you can google the meaning to see

Efetobore1980:
OIS are working in tandem with the U.S embassy and they get first hand information that you as a layman cannot get. Besides, is drop-box the only duty of OIS ? Do you know the meaning of the grammar obsolete?

Okay let's forget about that. What did your contact at the U.S embassy say about the B1/B2 visa application? We are waiting to read from you.

You see how he said to the best of his knowledge. Even he is using tentative language unlike you. And he works in the embassy. So he might not even be sure.

Even though he works in the embassy, he is not privy to some certain information because he as a Nigerian cannot be in those sensitive departments at the us embassy.

In light of that, is it now OIS that will be more informed than him, or you that doesn’t work there. No!

And I’m not saying all of this to sound rude to you or uncanny. I’m saying let’s be real with ourselves and only speak facts that are factual and not what we think or wha we feel. As for me, I will do my interview and come back here to update the thread in the situation. I will also try to ask relevant questions at the embassy that will be useful to this group

Efetobore1980:
Thank you for the accolade 👍

I have school contemporaries who works at various embassies, as well as embassy subsidiaries like OIS, etc. The fact is that no embassy official will give you any core information other than what you can read on their official websites.

As per certainty and for your information, I have people (locally and abroad) who I guide towards various U.S visa application procedures. Therefore, I have engaging experience evidences, not just what I read, heard or researched.

I think everybody knows that embassy subsidiaries like OIS are in no position to give situational update about the embassy. All they can tell you is when your passport is ready. Besides, their work here in Nigeria is obsolete since when USA completely stopped Dropbox last year.

Dasolajay:
Hi everyone, I’d really appreciate some guidance on this.

I work with a company based in the Netherlands, and we have a general company kickoff scheduled to take place in Prague, Czech Republic, from April 15–17. The trip is fully company-paid (flight tickets and hotel accommodation in Prague).

I checked the Czech Republic embassy for visa appointments, but unfortunately the earliest available appointment date is September, which is well after the kickoff.

I’m now considering applying through another Schengen country (for example, France) and then traveling onward to Prague. However, I’m unsure how to approach this properly, especially with the documentation and cover letter.

The documents I currently have are:
• An invitation letter from my company
• Hotel reservation in Prague (not France)
• The event details for the kickoff in Prague

My concern is that everything I have is Prague-based, so I’m not sure:
• Whether applying through another Schengen country is advisable in this case
• How to structure my cover letter if I do apply through a different country
• Or if there’s another recommended route I should be taking

Has anyone been in a similar situation or can advise on the best way to proceed? I need help please!

What you should do if you’re applying through another Schengen country is to not mention anything about Czech. Let’s say it’s France. Apply fresh like you’re going to France on vacation, you will have a better chance of receiving the visa.

If you receive the French visa it is importnat that you use France as your entry to Europe and that you spend majority of your trip in France so that when you’re applying for Schengen next time, it wouldn’t raise red flags

Efetobore1980:
You are free to feel whatever you like. Genuine visitors who can deposit the bond payment have being attending interviews. Keep waiting.

You are so certain with what you are saying & what you are always saying on this group. But the fact is that unless you are an embassy staff you can never be sure about what you are saying.

Typing this just even reminded me that I have the contact of someone that works at the embassy and I will be engaging him now to get more credible information about what is going on

Efetobore1980:
The reason the U.S is totally different and surpass many nations in their style of doing things is because of their ability to think differently in an ironically simple way.

Look here, you have being seeing genuine intentions as one of the strongest obligations to qualify for the U.S visa but majority of the visa applicant does not know how to prove it 😀 They believe in their travel histories, wealth and qualifications, but the U.S embassy will give their visas to the underdogs, who can prove genuine intentions with honesty. You may have 100% genuine intention to visit the United States and return, but how will you transfer that thought into the mind of the consular officers ?

As per visa denial, will you personally believe that it is possible for the U.S embassy to not issue a single visa in one single business day ? If that is the case then many sub-organisations or business entities (ie DHL/OIS, etc) attached to the U.S. embassies will run at losses. Ipso facto, it is obviously an impossible permutations, that a U.S embassy/consulate will not issue a single visa in a given day.

My friend , the temporary visa restriction is a psychological visa- application tests on Nigerians. Nothing changes , the only thing added is the extra background checks . Go and prepare and research very well. Attend your visa interview and get your visa when you are ready. The only cure for grief is Action 👍

I still feel like it doesn’t add up. Not until I hear from someone that has gone to do interview this year.

Because this whole topic just went dead silent Jan 1 and I know a lot of us here already had interview scheduled

Efetobore1980:
They are not just denying everybody otherwise, the embassy would be better off by closing up, and airline en route United States will close businesses. They are given visas to those who can show genuine intentions and qualify for the visa, and then cap it with the new bond payment.

This is the same thing I’ve been seeing everywhere. Genuine intentions and qualify for the visa. Isn’t that how it was before the ban? What is the difference now. Some places I’m seeing that they’re denying people going for vacation or things that are not too serious. Other places I’m seeing that they’re denying all b1/b2 but approving other non immigrant visa types.

It’s all just confusing. Are b1/b2 people actually getting approved. Is it everyone that’s getting the compulsory bond thing. This whole thread just went silent after the ban. Can’t we help ourselves with information.

I can’t move my interview date again because I reached the limit to move. I wish I was able to move it. So now I have to attend the interview at the end of the month. I’m just hoping it won’t be a waste of my time and money

Efetobore1980:
Iya Aliyah

There are dates but you have to keep searching or apply for ER if you qualify. Nothing changes, people are attending B1/B2 visa interviews.

Are people actually getting granted visas or they’re just denying everybody because of the ban. Does anyone know anybody that has received a b1/b2 visa this year. I have interview this month and don’t want to waste my time

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Lekan2348:
4.5 x 6 bed frame and mattress 130k each

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Available

4.5 x 6 bed frame and mattress 130k each

Meta glasses 3 months old 390k

Nintendo switch with games, tv connector and extra accessories 380k

Location is Lekki phase 1, Lagos

Click my bio for my phone number

chillex8:
Brand New

35k?

MiddyO:
this is for Fresh applicants

How did you come about this info. Can you point to the article where you read this?

Because I have been looking for clarification myself

Have you guys seen the news? New visa issues are still happening but to enter the USA, you will post a refundable bond of up to $15k as a Nigerian

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Eb1234:
Good evening house. Please I have a quick question. So my aunt has an interview for Tuesday 9/9. We scheduled this appointment in February. We were going through her documents today and discovered that the DS 160 needs to be filled within six months of interview . We tried to update the DS 160 but they said since it’s within three business days before the interview, we cannot update it. Can she go for the interview with the old DS 160 that with her appointment letter or should we wait for the appointment will pass and reschedule. Has anybody been in this situation. Thank you.

Do not wait for the appointment to pass so you can reschedule o. Once that happens it is assumed, you have done your interview and you will need to start a fresh application to get a new date, you will also need to pay again.


What you need to do now is fill a new ds160 and take it to the interview alongside the old one. you can't update the ds16 on your appointment confirmaton once it is 3 working days to your appointment. So she should fill a new one and go to the interview with the old one. The old one is the one that should be brought out, but if anybody mentions the fact that it is more than 6 months old then she can bring out the new one

Ashirioluwa:
You guys should stop wasting money on unnecessary things. I have a limited budget, and I always go for the cheapest insurance policy. I used a 10-day Schengen travel insurance policy to obtain a 3-year visa for my spouse.

I use the worldwide policy for places like Ireland because the Schengen travel insurance policy doesn’t cover it.

The immigration or visa officers require a travel insurance policy with a limit of €35000; they don’t care about whether it’s a worldwide or Schengen policy.

I’m very sure that 10 day Schengen insurance you got is more expensive than worldwide insurance for 30 days from Axa Nigeria.