The United States has announced that routine visa processing at its embassy in Abuja and 24 other diplomatic missions across Africa will cease from 1 August 2026 as part of a wider restructuring of its overseas consular operations.
According to the US Department of State, the reorganisation is designed to centralise routine visa services in regional processing hubs, strengthen national security, reduce government expenditure, and improve consistency in visa screening, vetting and adjudication.
In a statement published on the department’s official website on Wednesday, the US government said the changes align with President Donald Trump’s administration’s policy of prioritising America’s national interests and security.
“The Department of State is constantly evaluating its overseas operations in order to advance America’s priorities as efficiently and effectively as possible. This includes a visa process that maintains rigorous standards of security screening and vetting and aligns resources and operational capacity with America’s national interests.
“The Trump administration has no higher priority than the safety and security of Americans, and the State Department will continue to provide Americans with appropriate consular services and assistance at diplomatic posts around the world,” the statement said.
The affected diplomatic missions are located in Abuja, Asmara, Bamako, Banjul, Brazzaville, Bujumbura, Conakry, Cotonou, Durban, Freetown, Gaborone, Harare, Juba, Libreville, Lilongwe, Lusaka, Maputo, Maseru, Mbabane, N’Djamena, Niamey, Nouakchott, Ouagadougou and Windhoek.
The State Department clarified that the policy applies only to routine visa processing and does not affect the operational status of the embassies and consulates concerned.
It added that all affected diplomatic missions would continue to provide consular services and perform their regular diplomatic functions on behalf of the United States.
The department also assured travellers that visas already issued remain valid and are not affected by the new policy.
Under the revised arrangement, applicants in the affected countries will be required to access routine visa services through designated regional processing hubs, while embassies and consulates continue to offer other consular and diplomatic assistance.
