The United States has announced a major reorganisation of its visa operations in Africa, with routine visa processing at its embassy in Abuja and 24 other diplomatic missions to end from August 1, 2026.
The decision, announced by the US Department of State, is part of a broader strategy to centralise visa services at designated regional hubs in a bid to enhance national security, improve operational efficiency and ensure greater consistency in visa screening and adjudication.
According to the department, the restructuring reflects the Trump administration's commitment to prioritising the safety of Americans while deploying diplomatic resources more effectively.
"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 department said in a statement.
It added that while routine visa processing would cease at the affected missions, the embassies and consulates would remain open and continue to provide other diplomatic and consular services.
The diplomatic posts affected by the policy include 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 visas already issued would remain valid and would not be affected by the operational changes.
It also explained that the restructuring covers several immigrant visa categories, including immediate relatives, family preference, employment-based, fiancé(e), adoption, diversity and follow-to-join refugee and asylum visas.
Under the new arrangement, routine visa processing will continue at designated regional hubs, including the US Consulate in Lagos and embassies in Abidjan, Accra, Addis Ababa, Cape Town, Dakar, Dar es Salaam, Djibouti, Johannesburg, Kampala, Kigali, Kinshasa, Lomé, Luanda, Malabo, Monrovia, Nairobi, Port Louis, Praia and Yaoundé.
These centres will process both immigrant and non-immigrant visa applications, including tourist, business and petition-based visas.
The department noted that existing visa restrictions imposed under Presidential Proclamation 10998, visa bond requirements and pauses on immigrant visas for certain nationalities remain unchanged.
It advised intending applicants in countries affected by the new policy to book appointments and pay visa application fees through the designated processing hubs from August 1.
The decision is expected to have significant implications for Nigerian travellers, particularly those in the northern part of the country, who have traditionally relied on the US Embassy in Abuja for visa processing.
With the latest changes, applicants seeking routine US visas will now have to process their applications through the US Consulate in Lagos or other designated regional centres.
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