I have experienced firsthand the frustrating and unjust system employed by the US Embassy in Nigeria when it comes to visa applications. After submitting non-refundable fees and attending scheduled interviews, many applicants, like myself, are informed that due to a specific proclamation suspension or restriction, our visa applications cannot be processed. This is not just a minor inconvenience—it's a significant financial burden and a waste of valuable time for countless individuals.

The current system requires applicants to go through a fee-paying application and interview process before eligibility checks are done. It means paying embassy fees, which are by no means small, only to later discover we are ineligible due to bans or suspensions already known to the government. Not only is this practice misleading, it's unfair.

According to recent statistics, thousands of applicants face this ordeal annually, resulting in millions of dollars in non-refundable fees lost without any progress towards obtaining a visa. This is simply unacceptable and highlights a dire need for change.

This petition calls upon the U.S. Department of State to review and reform the current visa application process for countries under specific visa issuance suspensions, such as Nigeria. Before any fees are collected or interviews scheduled, applicants' eligibility should be assessed based on publicly available proclamations and suspensions. This can be achieved through an automated online screening system utilizing the latest technology to cross-check applications against exclusion lists before proceeding to the application fee payment stage.

Implementing this procedural change would not only save potential applicants from unnecessary financial losses but also improve the efficiency of consular services and reduce the backlog caused by processing ineligible applications.

A fair and transparent process benefits everyone involved—it ensures applicants’ resources are respected and unties our embassies from processing doomed applications. I'd kindly urge you to support this critical change to safeguard applicants from this misleading practice. Please sign this petition to demand a fair, transparent, and responsible visa application process.