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US Embassy Issues New Directive For Nigerian Visa Applicants
The United States Embassy in Nigeria has announced updates to its immigration visa process, effective January 1, 2025.
Applicants with scheduled interviews will now need to visit the Consulate General in Lagos twice as part of the application procedure.
The embassy shared on its official X page that “For applicants with interviews scheduled after January 1, 2025, applicants are required to visit the Consulate General in Lagos at least twice during the immigrant visa process.
It wrote, “This new process is designed to help you prepare for your visa interview and to prevent significant delays in processing your immigrant visa.
”According to details on the embassy’s website, the first visit will involve an “In-Person Document Review” with a consular staff member.
The embassy explained, “This review ensures that applicants are prepared for their visa interviews.
The review allows applicants to retrieve any missing documents ahead of their visa interviews, helping to avoid delays in application processing.
”The second visit will be the visa interview itself, conducted by a Consular Officer. This appointment will be scheduled by the National Visa Center (NVC).
“If you do not complete the In-Person Document Review before your visa interview, you will be required to reschedule your appointment,” the embassy noted.
These changes, the embassy said aim to enhance efficiency and reduce delays caused by incomplete documentation.
As announced earlier, in a related development, the embassy has transitioned to a new visa services provider for its Abuja and Lagos consulates on August 26, 2024.
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Business
WEF could appoint Lagarde as its next chair, sources say
The WEF’s Board of Trustees, which includes Lagarde herself, was due to meet on November 2 and could elect her as its next chair, said the people close to the organisation, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.
•European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde
The World Economic Forum could appoint Christine Lagarde as its next chair as soon as next month, four people close to the organisation told Reuters, meaning she would step down early as European Central Bank chief and trigger a wider reshuffle at the top of the ECB.Lagarde’s ECB term is scheduled to end in October 2027.
Leaving early would give European Union leaders a chance to pick a new ECB President before France’s spring presidential election, which opinion polls suggest the far-right could win, and could pave the way for a deal involving two other senior ECB roles.
The WEF’s Board of Trustees, which includes Lagarde herself, was due to meet on November 2 and could elect her as its next chair, said the people close to the organisation, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.
No final decision has been taken yet, they said.
A spokesperson for the WEF said the forum could not confirm when the next full Board of Trustees meeting would take place, but that the aim was to hold one before the end of the year.
Business
Germany plans tax on sugary drinks
The tax is expected to generate additional revenue for the federal government of €690 million in 2027 and €925 million in 2028.
The German cabinet has approved draft legislation to tax sugary drinks in Europe’s biggest economy.
If passed by the German Bundestag, the tax will take effect on 1 July 2027.
The coalition aims to raise revenue for the federal budget while encouraging manufacturers to reduce sugar content and offer healthier products.
The levy is intended to ease pressure on the healthcare system, which faces costs of more than €2 billion every year linked to the high consumption of sugary drinks, which contributes to obesity, diabetes and tooth decay.
According to the federal government, Berlin is using the tax to implement “what associations from the fields of health, science, child protection, and consumer protection have long been demanding.”
The tax is expected to generate additional revenue for the federal government of €690 million in 2027 and €925 million in 2028.
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