The United States government has announced a significant reduction in the number of embassies and consulates handling visa applications across Africa, a move that will affect thousands of African applicants. Under the new policy, nearly 50 diplomatic missions currently processing visas will be consolidated into just 20 designated hubs in the coming weeks.
Consolidation of visa services
The decision is part of broader efforts by President Donald Trump's administration to tighten immigration controls and strengthen oversight of visa issuance. As a result, applicants from countries without designated visa-processing centers may now be required to travel to another African nation to submit applications or attend interviews, adding financial and logistical burdens.
Continued services at some locations
While visa services will be scaled back at many locations, U.S. embassies and consulates in affected countries will continue providing assistance to American citizens, including passport renewals, emergency services, and other consular support. Diplomatic visa applications and cases deemed in the U.S. national interest will also still be processed.
The 20 centers expected to retain full visa-processing capabilities are located in Abidjan, Accra, Addis Ababa, Cape Town, Dakar, Dar es Salaam, Djibouti, Johannesburg, Kampala, Kigali, Kinshasa, Lagos, Lomé, Luanda, Malabo, Monrovia, Nairobi, Port Louis, Praia, and Yaoundé.
Impact on applicants
This policy comes amid a series of immigration measures introduced by the Trump administration, including stricter visa requirements and increased scrutiny of applicants from several countries. Analysts say the latest development could make access to U.S. visas more difficult for many Africans, particularly those living in countries that will no longer offer full visa-processing services. This could potentially increase waiting times and travel expenses for applicants across the continent.
