The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) says it has ended its contract with a third-party visa application service provider in the United States. According to reports, the NIS public relations officer Akinsola Akinlabi announces that the operator previously running Nigeria’s visa application and submission centres in the US—identified as OIS SERVICES—has been disengaged effective immediately. As a result, travelers who need Nigerian visas while in the US must now submit their visa applications directly through Nigeria’s diplomatic missions. The NIS directs applicants to apply at the Nigerian Embassy in Washington, DC, or at Nigerian consulates in New York and Atlanta, until further notice. The NIS also states that the embassy and consulates have put “adequate measures” in place to manage the submissions, processing, and issuance of visas. Sources say Akinlabi does not provide a reason for the change, and advises applicants to continue monitoring official NIS and Nigerian mission communications for any updates to the procedures and timelines.