US cuts African visa hubs to 20

Thousands of Africans seeking U.S. visas may soon face longer travel distances, higher costs and extended waiting times as the United States consolidates visa-processing services across the continent into 20 designated hubs.

The almost 50 U.S. embassies and consulates that are processing visa applications will be reduced to 20 in the coming weeks, according to three U.S. officials and an internal memo obtained by The Associated Press. There is not yet a set date for the change, but it is expected in June, according to the officials, who were not authorized to comment to the media and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Thousands of Africans seeking visas to the United States could soon face additional travel costs and longer processing journeys following a decision by the U.S. government to reduce the number of embassies and consulates handling visa applications across the continent. Although 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.

Under the new arrangement, nearly 50 U.S. diplomatic missions currently processing visas in Africa will be consolidated into just 20 designated hubs in the coming weeks. The move forms part of broader efforts by the administration of President Donald Trump to tighten immigration controls and strengthen oversight of visa issuance. Diplomatic visa applications and cases deemed to be in the U.S. national interest will also continue to receive attention.

According to reports, the 20 centres 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. The 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, potentially increasing waiting times and travel expenses for applicants across the continent.

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