OIS Services

"Putting together your paperwork for these kinds of applications can feel complicated and really nerve wracking! What I love about all of my encounters with OIS is their patience and kindness. Even when I didn't have the correct envelope their employees simply just told me what to do and where the nearest post office was to get this done. Even when my passport took a detour in the mail and wound back at their office... They held it for me reached out and sent it to the correct address. If you have patience in your process and don't allow your emotions to color your experience... You will find how helpful and kind everyone at OIS is. My gratitude to their whole team!"

"I arrived on time for my appointment and was asked to wait outside the office due to the number of people. It took just over 90 minutes to complete the process because I had the 'wrong' USPS envelope. The lie is that priority mail takes 2 to 3 weeks and priority mail express is overnight. The rep told me that I had to pay $80 and I reminded him that I had an appointment so the fee was $30. I think they really like walk-ins due to the fees it brings them. This fee brings the cost of the visa to $190 when compared to the $160 fee paid by Nigerians to get a US visa. Wrong in my opinion. This is something I think should be brought up with Dept of State OIG. My pickup date is in January and I have travel plans for Christmas so fingers crossed I will get my visa in time. I will update this post when I get my passport back current status says transferred to Nigerian mission. UPDATE: 4 weeks after applying and am yet to get my passport back. I have written 3 emails asking for an update. OIS has not replied the last 2."

"Drove 7 hours through the night, get to our appointment with all documents, but on the door it says “they’re not taking anyone because they ran out of visas”. No notice on the website, no email communication, no courtesy phone calls or anything to let people with CONFIRMED APPOINTMENTS know of their shortage. You have to actually hate humanity to be this despicable. And then they’re like “call so and so” who doesn’t reply to calls or email this and this for a refund that you might get a week or two from now but that’s IF they reply. They also recommended for people to drive to New York now and hope you get a walk-in (2 girls had just come from NY and said they weren’t accepting anyone and it was confirmed by their sign online) I mean there was no regard! Update: It’s been a week and still no refund or even reply. It’s like they want you to forget you paid…Ridiculous. I’m getting my money back or I’ll have to sue."

"This is a preliminary evaluation, which I may adjust up or down depending on how their service eventually turns out. I had my appointment for a Nigerian tourist visa on October 26, 2023 and do not have it as of October 15, 2023 (about three weeks later), with the status also not having been updated since it was transferred to the embassy the day after the application. I have travel on the 24th for which I need a passport. The positive side of their services so far includes that communication was quite good up until a few days ago, the appointment was prompt and the agent knowledgeable, and the application was (supposedly) quickly transferred to the embassy. However, the negative side currently far outweighs the positive: 1. They are very heavily booked in many cities, with their website claiming that they have no availability for several months. Both their phone system and their website indicate that they do not take walk-ins. However, they do in fact take walk-ins, and when I went to the office, they were almost empty. I spent a few hundred more dollars to go to Washington D.C., but I could have done everything earlier and faster in New York if they had made this clear. 2. Their communication got worse over time, from promptly answering all questions to not responding to emails at all. They also do not answer phone calls, and do not facilitate communication with the Nigerian embassy (which answers neither phone calls nor emails). 3. Most importantly, although they expressed confidence in the visa decision being made within two to three weeks, there still has not been any decision, which may impede my travel. UPDATE: They were unable to process my visa in time because the Nigerian embassy in Washington D.C. had run out of visa stickers. I expect many others have also run out or will run out, if the stickers are printed centrally. This is apparently an issue that the Nigerian government has had before. I am not decreasing my rating, because this is primarily an issue with the Nigerian government or with the embassy for not soliciting more stickers when they ran low (or using a stamp or e-Visas or...) and thus beyond the control of OIS."

"The first visit in February was great my visa was approved and sent in less than a week. Now that I had to redo the process with married name it’s been a month and still my passport and visa haven’t been returned. They require you to have a paid plane ticket and now due to their lack of processing I have to cancel my trip and out money that can’t be refunded! And they NEVR answer the phone neither does the embassy so voicemail boxes are full and not responding to emails."