How to Apply for a Nigeria Visa in Chicago

Chicago is America’s third-most-populous city and its metropolitan area, known as Chicagoland, has a population approaching 10 million people.  Chicago is a vibrant international city with a robust economy that is the corporate headquarters for 57 Fortune 1000 companies  While manufacturing and food processing provide a strong foundation for its economy, the city is also an important financial center and is home to the Chicago Stock Exchange, Chicago Board Options Exchange, and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.  From its food to its music, Chicago is a very American city—an American city that continues to evolve and grow thanks to the contributions of immigrants.  Chicago has a large African population of around 50,000, of which over half are Nigerians.

With a population closing in on 200 million, Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and seventh most-populous in the world.  Known as the “Giant of Africa”, Nigeria has the largest economy in Africa and is well known for its huge oil and gas sector, but less well known is its growing manufacturing sector that is exporting products across Africa.  Lagos is the most populous city and economic hub of the country.  While many American tourists will visit Lagos to enjoy its music, nightlife, and shopping, business visitors from Chicago dealing in industrial equipment might visit cities like Port Harcourt or other large commercial centers like Ibadan.  English is the official language of the country so visitors will have no problem communicating with locals, but Igbo, Yoruba, and Hausa are some of the most widely spoken native languages.  

Obtaining a Nigerian Visa from Chicago

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 in Chicago, you must contact OIS Services (the contractor for the Nigerian government) and appear in person at one of their offices.  OIS has offices in Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C.  Please check the website of OIS for more details about the location of their offices and contact information:  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 either Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, or Washington D.C.

Emergency Assistance for Nigerian Citizens in Chicago

If you are a Nigerian citizen in the Chicago metropolitan area with an emergency or require urgent assistance, you can reach the Atlanta consulate by calling +1 770-394-5233, the New York consulate by calling + 1 212-808-0301, 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.   It is about 700 miles to Atlanta and Washington, D.C. from Chicago, and about 800 miles to New York City from Chicago.  

Here is the physical address of the consulate in Atlanta:

Consulate General of Nigeria
8060 Roswell Road
Atlanta, GA 30350

The consulate in New York City:

Consulate General of Nigeria
828 2nd Avenue
New York, NY 10017

And embassy in Washington, D.C.:

Embassy of Nigeria
3519 International Ct NW
Washington, D.C. 20008

We Can Help if You Need Assistance

If you 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