US Visa Applicants in Ghana and Nigeria Hit by New AVITS Portal Restrictions: Reschedules Cut From 5 to 3
Thousands of U.S. visa applicants in Ghana and Nigeria are facing fresh frustration as the AVITS portal—the platform used for booking and managing U.S. visa appointments—has reportedly introduced new restrictions reducing the number of allowed reschedules from five to three.
According to updates circulating among visa facilitation agents and applicants, users who previously depended on multiple rescheduling options to secure earlier dates must now operate within the tighter three-reschedule limit. The change is already affecting individuals who have existing appointments on the portal.
Applicants With Fewer Than Three Reschedules Are Locked Out
A major concern rising from this update is that accounts with less than three remaining reschedules are no longer seeing available appointment dates, effectively locking them out of booking modifications. This has left many applicants stranded, especially those seeking earlier or emergency slots due to travel deadlines, school reporting dates, conferences, or medical trips.
Visa applicants in both countries have described the situation as “frustrating,” noting that the AVITS portal has experienced recurring issues throughout the year, including freezing appointment calendars, sudden cancellations, and intermittent system outages.
Growing Pressure on U.S. Embassies to Resolve System Issues
With demand for U.S. visas surging in both Ghana and Nigeria, this latest development has added pressure on the embassies to address the ongoing portal instability. Travel agencies have appealed for clarity from the U.S. Department of State, urging them to restore the previous reschedule limit or improve portal functionality.
So far, no official statement has been issued by the U.S. embassies in Accra or Abuja, but affected applicants hope the issue will be resolved soon to prevent further delays.
A Bad Time for Visa Applicants
The timing has raised concerns, especially as:
- Students prepare for Spring 2026 semester reporting
- Families make holiday travel plans
- Business travellers require timely visas
- Medical and humanitarian travellers depend on flexible scheduling
Applicants are advised to log into their AVITS accounts to verify how many reschedules they have left and avoid unnecessary appointment changes until the system stabilizes.