For thousands of Nigerians pursuing the American dream, the journey to permanent residency in the United States is proving more uncertain than ever.
NewsmakersNG Investigations Desk discovers that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has been abruptly cancelling scheduled interviews for green card applicants.
On an online immigration forum, a Nigerian applicant narrated how their long-awaited Adjustment of Status (Form I-485) interview was suddenly cancelled without explanation.
“I don’t know when or if they will call me back. It’s frustrating because I’ve been waiting years for this,” the applicant lamented.
Other Nigerians echoed the same anxiety. One said their interview was cancelled in March 2025 and they are still waiting for news. Another revealed that theirs was rescheduled within just three days. The inconsistency has deepened worries for many, leaving families and professionals in limbo as they await clarity on their immigration status.
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Nigeria is one of the African countries with the highest number of immigrants securing U.S. green cards each year. In recent years, the figures have fluctuated: 13,952 in 2020, 15,888 in 2021, 12,385 in 2022, and 15,790 in 2023 . The U.S. State Department also reports that more than 15,000 Nigerians are on the immigrant visa waiting list in various family preference categories .
However, despite these approvals, Nigeria has been barred from the U.S. Diversity Visa lottery since 2015 due to its high migration numbers . This leaves family reunification and employment-based visas as the main pathways—both of which are now plagued by rescheduling delays.
Immigration experts warn that the lack of transparent communication from USCIS could cause significant emotional and financial strain. “Applicants are already waiting years, and sudden cancellations without clear timelines only add to the uncertainty,” one U.S. immigration lawyer said.
For many Nigerians in the queue, the dream of permanent residency in America feels like it is slipping further away, caught between bureaucracy and silence. Until USCIS addresses the communication gaps and creates a reliable rescheduling system, countless families may remain in anxious suspense.
