How to Apply for a Nigeria Visa in Boston
Boston is one of America’s oldest cities and has a rich history that attracts over 20 million tourists each year. Known as the “intellectual capital of the United States”, Boston is a center of education that has more than 350,000 college students from around the world, making up over 7% of the metro area’s population. Boston has 35 universities, colleges, and community colleges along with many of the country’s best research and teaching hospitals. As a hub of academia, medicine, and technology, it is no surprise that Nigerians—one of the most educated ethnic groups in America—are numerous in the Boston area with an estimated population of at least 10,000. Greater Boston is the eleventh-most populous metropolitan area in the United States with a population of 4.9 million people, and includes towns such as Cambridge, Brookline, Quincy, Newton, Waltham, and Medford.
Nigeria is an African country located on the Gulf of Guinea that is roughly five times the size of America’s New England region. Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and seventh most-populous in the world (it is estimated that Nigeria will be the third most-populous country in the world by 2050). Known as the “Giant of Africa”, Nigeria has the largest economy in Africa and is well known for its huge oil and gas sector. To maintain the growth of its economy, Nigeria sends off many of its best students overseas to study engineering, computer science, medical science, and business management (with the hopes they return to their homeland to improve the country). About 13,000 Nigerians study in the U.S. each year. Abuja is the political capital of Nigeria and Lagos is its economic and cultural capital. English is the official language of Nigeria, but Igbo, Yoruba, and Hausa are some of its most widely spoken native languages.
Obtaining a Nigerian Visa from Boston
Nigerian visas are issued by the Nigerian government in the United States. The Nigerian government is represented by two consulates (there is one located in Atlanta and the other is in New York City) and one embassy, located in Washington, D.C. To apply for a Nigerian visa from Boston, you must contact OIS Services (the contractor for the Nigerian government) and appear in person at one of their offices. There is an OIS office in New York City (which is about a 4-hour train ride from Boston) along with OIS offices in Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. Please check the website of OIS for more details about their contact information and give them a call to ensure their office is open: https://oisservices.com/
It is a good idea to review the requirements for the visa on the Nigerian consulate website. Here is the link to the consulate website in Atlanta: https://nigeria-consulate-atl.org/visas/. As mentioned on the consulate website, you will apply for the visa online here: https://portal.immigration.gov.ng/. You will make payment to the Nigerian Immigration Service through Innovate 1 Services using that same website. You will then gather all the necessary documents for the type of visa you are applying for (tourist, business, etc.) and appear in person at the OIS Services office in New York (or Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, or Washington D.C.).
Emergency Assistance for Nigerian Citizens in Boston
If you are a Nigerian citizen in Boston with an emergency or require urgent assistance, you can reach the New York consulate by calling + 1 212-808-0301, the Atlanta consulate by calling +1 770-394-5233, or the embassy in Washington, D.C. by calling + 1 202-800-7201 (Ext. 113). If you need to renew your Nigerian passport or apply for a new passport, you must appear in person at the consulate or embassy.
Here is the physical address of the consulate in New York City:
Consulate General of Nigeria
828 2nd Avenue
New York, NY 10017
The embassy in Washington, D.C.:
Embassy of Nigeria
3519 International Ct NW
Washington, D.C. 20008
And the consulate in Atlanta:
Consulate General of Nigeria
8060 Roswell Road
Atlanta, GA 30350
We Can Help if You Need Assistance
If you live in Boston and have difficulty applying for a Nigeria visa, and require assistance with this process, please give our office a call at 404-682-5445 or schedule an appointment with our company. We are a private agency in Atlanta providing travel visa services for Americans and other U.S.-based residents. Our number one goal is to ensure your application documents for a visa are submitted accurately to the Nigerian government. Our services eliminate delays and give you the peace of mind to focus on your travel plans.
We provide the following Nigeria visa services for our customers:
- Nigeria Tourist Visas for Adults
- Nigeria Tourist Visas for Minors (age 17 and under)
- Nigeria Business Visas
- Nigeria Hotel Accommodations
