A citizen of a foreign country who seeks to enter the United States generally must first obtain a U.S. visa, which is placed in the traveler’s passport. This is the same for a Nigerian who seeks to travel to the US through an invitation.
If your invitee from Nigeria to the US is a family member, you are qualified to file for an immigrant visa. There are five categories of immigration visas; Family-based immigration, Fiance(e) Visa, Employment-based immigration, Diversity visa and Returning Resident Visa.
However, if the invitee is not a family member, you can file for a non-immigrant visa; the most common categories are the B1 or B-2 Visa, also known as a Business or Tourism Visa. This visa is for a short stay, lasting a minimum of three months to a maximum of one year.
Requirements for Immigration Visa
As stated, if your invitee is a family member, he/she needs to apply for the immigrant letter. Remember the host must be a US citizen or a green cardholder. The requirements are:
1.Form DS-260 (Biographic Data Questionnaire)
You must fill out and submit this form online. Print only the confirmation page and bring it with you to the interview. You should ensure that all of the information you provided is accurate and true to the best of your knowledge and belief. All declarations made in the application are unsworn declarations made under penalty of perjury.
2. Birth Certificate
To prove that you’re related to the invitee, you or he/she must bring an original and photocopy of your birth certificate. Certificates issued by the Nigerian Population Commission are also acceptable. If derivative children are included on the petition, you must also bring originals and photocopies of their birth certificates.
3. Documentation of Marriages and Divorces
If your invitee is a spouse or fiance, you must provide documentation of any marriages or divorces for both yourself and the petitioner. Bring with you both original and photocopies to the interview.
Applicants should be aware that customary and traditional marriages are recognized as legal and binding marital relationships for the purpose of U.S. immigration law. Any documentation of such marriages, or the termination of such marriages, should be brought to the interview.
4. Valid Passport
You must also have a valid passport issued by the Nigerian government responsible for the visa. The passport should be valid for at least six (6) months beyond the intended date of entry into the United States.
5. Passport-size Photos
Bring with you two (2) recent passport size photos to the interview. It’s important to take the photographs with a professional who knows the exact photograph requirement the US consulate is asking for.
6. Medicals
The US consulate requires that you complete a medical report at certain health facilities only before you’ll be eligible for an interview.
Medical reports from other medical centers will not be accepted by the US consulate. A medical report is usually valid for six months from the date of the physical. Your medical report must still be valid by the time you travel, so you must plan accordingly. If your medical report will expire near the time of your interview, you are requested to complete a new medical report to avoid further delays in the processing of your case.
The following are the health facilities designated to take your medical report.
- Q-Life Family Clinic
Plot 155A Prince Ade Odedina Street
Off Ajose Adeogun
Victoria Island
Lagos, Nigeria
Telephone: 01-629-0365
Cell: 0809-974-2000,
0811-397-5433
- Migration Health Assessment Centre (MHAC)
International Organization for Migration (IOM)
No. 55, Hassan Musa Katsina Road
(at the junction of Hassan Musa Katsina Road and J-K Gadzama Street), Asokoro, Abuja, FCT
Tel: 08072191122, 08095637898, 08085221427, 07032898491
Online booking: https://mymedical.iom.int/omas/#_frmHome
- Migration Health Assessment Center (MHAC), Lagos
International Organization for Migration (IOM)
1, Isaac John Street (At the Corner of Isaac John Street and Oduduwa Way), GRA Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria
Tel: 0807-219-1112, 0802-226-4059, 0909-215-6079
7. Police Report
It is a prerequisite to provide police reports from all countries in which he or she has lived for more than six months after the age of 16.
It is the applicant’s responsibility to collect these reports from every country in which he or she has lived. The police report is valid for one year and must be valid by the time you travel, so plan accordingly.
If you are unsure of how to obtain a police report from a country of prior residence, please check the reciprocity schedule here. Please bear in mind that many countries can issue police certificates for prior residents even if the individual no longer resides in that country.
8. Affidavit of Support and Tax Documents
If you’re sponsoring the invitee or applicant, you need to fill out the affidavit of support form– Form I-864 so he/she can take it along to the interview.
You’ll also need to provide tax documents. Acceptable tax documents include tax transcripts from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or both the W-2 form and a copy of Form 1040 (U.S. Individual Income Tax Return). The consulate does not accept W-2 forms alone, copies of bank statements, or letters from employers as stand-alone proof of financial support.
Requirements for B1 or B-2 Visa
If the person is not a family member, you’ll have to apply for a tourist or business visa. The applicant or invitee must establish their strong ties with their country for a said visa under U.S immigration law.
There are four basic requirements an applicant must fulfill;
1. They have a place of residence in their home to which they will return after their temporary visit to the U.S.A.
Your proof of residence is usually considered by assessing your ties to your country. For example, if you’re Nigerian, ties to your country are employment, property ownership, university studies and having a resident family. Note that each applicant’s ties are distinctive and considered by a consular’s discretion.
2. Intend to visit the U.S for a short stay
Secondly, you must demonstrate to the contentment of the consular officer that your plans for travel fall within the constraints of the visa applied, that is, a short stay for business or pleasure or for tourism, and that you’ll leave the U.S on the specified date of departure to your residence- as shown in Form 1-94. This short stay cannot be for employment.
3. Your visit to the U.S is to engage in legitimate activities relating to business or pleasure.
The third basic requirement expects the applicant to satisfy the consular officer that he/she is visiting the U.S to engage in legitimate activities in relation to the visa class applied. This might not necessarily be dependent on the applicant’s financial status or ties with U.S residents.
4. You have enough money for your stay duration
The consulate will also require that you prove you have enough funds to sponsor your temporary trip to the U.S. This fund is expected to cover your travel expenses, accommodation and food. This is required because the immigration officers do not want a situation where you’ll run out of money and be forced to look for work. Looking for work or planning to work is a B-2 Tourist Visa violation.
Nevertheless, if your host plans to provide financial support to you, the guest, while in your stay in the U.S, your host should file an Affidavit of Support. There are several different kinds of affidavit of support forms. Please review the guidance on the consular website.
Host requirements to write an invitation letter
Invitation letters are not a requirement for a U.S visa but are highly recommended. To write one, your host must fulfill the following requirements for your invitation letter to be legal;
1. Be a US citizen or lawful permanent resident
2. Be your friend, boyfriend/girlfriend, or relative
3. Have a registered place (home, flat)
4. Have enough room for the applicant
The letter must also specify the date of departure and arrival of guests to the U.S.
How to write an invitation letter for U.S Visa?
Writing a letter of invitation to a relative in Nigeria may seem difficult, but the process is very simple. The letter should either be addressed to the guest or consular but it’s best to address it to the guest so that the letter would have a personal tone and not sound too official.
The following information must be provided in the letter;
- Host’s full name.
- Host’s date of birth.
- Host’s address and telephone number in the United States.
- Host’s occupation.
- Host’s status in the United States.
- A photocopy of a document proving the host’s status in the United States.
- Guest’s full name.
- Guest’s date of birth.
- Guest’s address and telephone number.
- Proof of the guest’s relationship with the host.
- The purpose of the trip.
- Information on how long the guest intends to stay in the United States of America (specific dates).
- Details on accommodation and living expenses.
- Signature of the host.
Documents required
1. Filling Form DS-160
When you’re sure to fulfill these non-immigrant requirements, you can now fill the Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application Form DS-160. This visa application is only available online. Hence,
- You must complete the application online
- Print the application confirmation page only to bring to your interview. You do not need to print the whole form because only the confirmation page will be needed during your interview.
- Upload a photo;
You must upload your photo while completing the online application, Form DS-160. Be sure your photo format is in line with the photograph requirement. An expert photographer should be able to know this. If the photo upload fails, you must bring one printed photo in the format explained in the Photograph Requirements.
2. Your passport
You must provide your passport to the US consulate for verification during your interview. Your passport must remain valid for at least six months after the end of your intended stay in the United States.
3. Documents showing the purpose of your trip to the US
You must include documents proofing your purpose of visiting the US. These might include a written itinerary and proof of hotel arrangements, car rentals, event tickets, and evidence of your intent to depart the US at the end of your stay, such as a return plane ticket.
4. Employer letter if applying for a B-1 visa
If you are coming to the U.S. on business, bring a letter from your foreign employer describing your job and explaining what you will be doing for it during your U.S. trip. The letter should state that you will be paid only from sources outside the U.S., along with a date when you will be expected to return from your trip. If you’ll be attending a trade show or similar business event, bring promotional materials, flyers, and proof that you are registered for it.
Additional Documents
Since the Letter of Invitation is not a requirement, the host is not obliged to send other documents alongside it. However, it would be very thoughtful if the applicant submitted any of the following documents alongside the Letter of Invitation, especially if the host is financially sponsoring your stay
- A scanned copy of the host’s ID/passport
- Evidence of means of subsistence
- Proof of home / flat ownership or rental contract
- Flight itinerary for US visa application – including a return ticket.
- Affidavit of Support – which is a USCIS Form I-134, available on the USCIS website. This should be submitted only in case the host plans to financially support the guest.
Sample of an Invitation letter
[Date]
[Subject]
[Name of the Sponsor]
[Full Address with Zip Codes]
USA
Contact numbers
To:
[Visitor Name]
[Visitor’s native address]
Dear [Visitor],
With this letter, I request that you visit me for the family reunion celebration for [time period]. We haven’t seen each other for a long time, so this will be a great opportunity to meet as a family with other relations here in the US too.
You can also have a mini-vacation at our place where I will sponsor our trip to visit [tour plans] for [time period]. I will cover all the expenses for your visit; you only need to take care of travel arrangements.
You’ll be staying with me at my home. We can call other relatives and have a grand reunion at our place.
Herewith, I’m sending all the supporting documents you need to get your tourist visa as soon as possible. Please proceed with the U.S. Consulate and visa process. All the best, and see you soon.
Sincerely,
[Sponsor’s name]
[Sponsor’s signature]
Attending your Visa Interview
Once you’ve gathered all these documents with you, you’re ready! At the interview, a consular officer will interview you to determine whether you are qualified to receive a visitor visa or immigrant visa if that is what you apply for. You must establish that you meet the requirements under U.S. law to receive a visa.
After your visa interview, the consular officer may determine that your application requires further administrative processing. The consular officer will inform you if this is required.
After the visa is approved, you may need to pay a visa issuance fee (if applicable to your nationality) and make arrangements for the return of the passport and visa to you. Review the visa processing times to learn more.
Reasons a U.S B-2 Tourist Visa could be denied
Most people could be denied a B-2 Tourist visa due to one reason or the other. The U.S.A immigration has its own reservations about Nigerians and for that matter Africans, who wish to travel to the states. As such, you need to prove beyond a reasonable doubt to be considered.
Conversely, there are reasons why you may not pass the interview and eventually be denied a visa. You may be denied a visa;
1. Based on Nonimmigrant intent
As noted beforehand, the guest must prove that you have a place of residence in your home to which you will return after your temporary visit to the U.S.A., Intend to visit the U.S for a short stay, your visit to the U.S is to engage in legitimate activities relating to business or pleasure and you have enough money for your stay duration.
Not fulfilling the above four basic requirements will deny you a B-2 Tourist Visa. Also, not answering interview questions correctly or appearing to be overly nervous could cost you a visa. And worst off, if you plan to overstay or say you plan to find work.
2. Based on fraud
You may also be denied a visiting visa if you lie about inquiries or try to present false documents. Lying is a visa fraud that will cost you a visa for a while.
3. Based on criminal record
If you have a criminal record, or history of espionage, or any links, especially, with terrorist groups, or crimes that make you inadmissible to the US, there is a strong chance your request for a U.S. visa of any sort, will be denied.
4. Visa denials based on past immigration violations
Similarly, you may be denied a visa if you have overstayed your past visa application or violated the conditions specified like working with a tourist. You will have difficulty convincing the consular officer not to violate this visa too.
In fact, if your unlawful presence in the U.S. added up to 180 days or more, you face an automatic bar to entry of three years. That number goes up to ten years if your period of unauthorized stay was one year or more.
5. Based on the sponsor letter
As established, you don’t need an invitation letter to get a U.S visa. Thus you shouldn’t go to the consul expecting to be given a visa by showing your sponsor letter to them.
6. Your intent to stay with relatives or friends
The intention of a tourist or business person visiting the US on a B-1 or B-2 visa will require proof of financial strength, including funding your own accommodation. If the consular officer estimates that you intend to stay with relatives or friends, your visa will be denied.
7. Get married and stay forever
It is fraudulent to get married in the USA while on a B-1 or B-2 visa. When this intention is known by the consular officer, you will be denied a visa.
Preparing for your trip to the USA
A visa allows a foreign citizen to travel to a U.S. port-of-entry and request permission to enter the United States.
Be informed that despite going through all the processes and acquiring a visa, a visa does not guarantee entry into the United States; the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials at the port-of-entry have the authority to permit or deny admission to the United States.
If you are allowed to enter the United States, the CBP official will provide an admission stamp or a paper Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record.
Now it’s your turn!
A citizen of a foreign country who seeks to enter the United States generally must first obtain a U.S. visa, which is placed in the traveler’s passport. This is the same for a Nigerian who seeks to travel to the US through an invitation.
If your invitee from Nigeria to the US is a family member, you are qualified to file for an immigrant visa. There are five categories of immigration visas; Family-based immigration, Fiance(e) Visa, Employment-based immigration, Diversity visa and Returning Resident Visa.
However, if the invitee is not a family member, you can file for a non-immigrant visa; the most common categories are the B1 or B-2 Visa, also known as a Business or Tourism Visa. This visa is for a short stay, lasting a minimum of three months to a maximum of one year.
To qualify for a B-1 or B-2 visa, you must prove beyond reasonable doubt that you will return to Nigeria before your visa expires.
You may get in touch with us for more information and guidance or refer to the consulate website of Nigeria.
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