The United States is preparing to significantly reduce the number of its visa-processing embassies across Africa, reducing them from nearly 50 embassies and consulates to just 20.
The policy, expected to take effect in June, forms part of the Trump administration’s wider strategy to curb immigration and strengthen visa controls.
Based on information from officials and an internal memorandum obtained by The Associated Press, the U.S. State Department plans to consolidate visa operations into designated regional “hub” embassies and consulates.
As a result, applicants from countries without a designated hub will be required to travel to another nation to submit their visa requests, potentially increasing travel expenses and processing burdens.
According to PBS, consular sections in non-hub countries will remain open but will only provide limited services, such as passport renewals for U.S. citizens, emergency requests, and diplomatic visa applications.
The State Department explained that it is “constantly evaluating its overseas operations in order to deploy taxpayer resources in a way that advances America’s priorities as efficiently and effectively as possible.”
Visa applicants across Africa have already been affected by several measures, including travel restrictions, mandatory bonds of up to $15,000 for certain applicants, and limitations related to the Ebola outbreak.
The latest directive, approved by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, is expected to further complicate the visa application process for many prospective travelers.
U.S. officials maintain that the restructuring will support “rigorous standards of security screening and vetting” while ensuring that government resources are allocated in line with national priorities.
African Countries Still Allowed To Process Visas
The following 20 U.S. embassies and consulates in Africa will continue handling visa applications:
– Abidjan, Ivory Coast
– Accra, Ghana
– Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
– Cape Town, South Africa
– Dakar, Senegal
– Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
– Djibouti, Djibouti
– Johannesburg, South Africa
– Kampala, Uganda
– Kigali, Rwanda
– Kinshasa, Congo
– Lagos, Nigeria
– Lomé, Togo
– Luanda, Angola
– Malabo, Equatorial Guinea
– Monrovia, Liberia
– Nairobi, Kenya
– Port Louis, Mauritius
– Praia, Cape Verde
– Yaoundé, Cameroon
I had my heart in my mouth as I read the list till I bumpd into Lagos, Nigeria and my troubling nerves relaxed