Nigerian Applicants: How to Prove “Residence” Abroad for a U.S. Visa

Under current U.S. non-immigrant visa practice, you’re expected to book your interview in the country where you are a national or where you legally live.

For Nigerians abroad, that second option,“country of residence,” is only valid if you can prove you genuinely live there.

Strong proof can shorten processing and reduce the risk of your case being bounced to Nigeria or delayed in a third country.

What “residence” really means

For consular officers, residence isn’t just “where you’re staying this month.” It usually combines four things: lawful status granted by the host country, ongoing physical presence, day-to-day ties (housing, school, work), and a reasonable period of stay (not a brief visit). Tourist entries and short-visit visas rarely qualify as residence.

Documents that typically work as proof

Most applicants won’t need every document below, but the more consistent your evidence, the smoother the interview.

• Government permission to live there: a valid residence card or visa sticker/endorsement, a digital residence permit, or an entry in a national immigration app/portal.
  
• Housing evidence: a signed tenancy/lease or mortgage statement, plus recent utility or council bills at your name and address.
  
• Employment footprint: an employment contract or HR letter, recent payslips, bank statements showing salary deposits, and a tax or social-security ID where applicable.
  
• Student footprint: an active enrolment/registration letter on school letterhead showing programme, dates, and local campus; a current student ID; tuition receipts.
  
• Local life markers: health-insurance cards, local bank or mobile-money statements, phone/internet bills, driver’s licence or municipal registration, where relevant.

If your documents are not in English, bring clean translations. Make sure names, dates, and addresses match your application exactly.

Notes for students and scholars

Full-time students normally qualify to apply where they study if they hold a valid study permit and can show they’re actively enrolled. Your best bundle is a current enrolment letter with term dates, your residence card/permit, proof of accommodation, and recent bank statements showing living expenses. 

If you are on a short course or language programme with only a visitor-type status, you may not meet the “residence” threshold; in that case, applying in Nigeria is safer unless your host country classifies you as a resident for the duration of study.

If your permit is under renewal, carry the official renewal receipt and any interim permission that lets you remain lawfully in the country. Officers look for an uninterrupted lawful stay.

Notes for temporary workers and professionals

Bring your valid work permit or visa endorsement, an HR letter confirming your role, contract dates, and salary, plus at least three recent payslips and bank statements showing those deposits. If you’re a contractor or freelancer, swap the payslips for recent invoices, tax filings, or social-security contributions tied to your local address. Consistency across your permit, contract, and address is key.

What about dependants and families?

Spouses and children can establish residence through the principal applicant’s lawful status. Carry the principal’s permit, proof of relationship (marriage/birth certificates), and evidence that you live together at the same local address, such as a lease, utility bills, or school letters for children. If you live separately for work or school, be ready to explain and document both addresses.