The United States department of state is set to significantly reduce the number of embassies and consulates handling visa applications in Africa, cutting them from nearly 50 to 20 in the coming weeks.
According to an internal memo and three U.S. officials cited by The Associated Press, the changes are expected to take effect in June, although no specific date has been announced.
Under the new arrangement, visa processing for both immigrant and non-immigrant categories will be centralised in 20 designated hubs across the continent.
The State Department, in explaining the move, said it is constantly reviewing its overseas operations to ensure efficient use of resources.
It stated: “The State Department 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.”
It added that the restructuring is aimed at strengthening security screening and aligning visa operations with U.S. national interests.
According to officials, consular sections in non-hub countries will still remain open but with limited functions, including assistance to American citizens, emergency services, select diplomatic visa processing, and special national interest cases.
However, routine visa processing will now be handled only at the designated hubs.
The State Department further noted: “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 overhaul is part of broader immigration reforms under the Trump administration aimed at tightening visa issuance and reducing overstays.
Applicants in non-hub countries are expected to travel to designated locations for processing, a change likely to increase travel costs and logistical challenges.
Full list of 20 U.S. visa processing hubs in Africa:
Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire), 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 (DR Congo), Lagos (Nigeria), Lomé (Togo), Luanda (Angola), Malabo (Equatorial Guinea), Monrovia (Liberia), Nairobi (Kenya), Port Louis (Mauritius), Praia (Cape Verde), and Yaoundé (Cameroon).
