US Slashes African Visa Centres from 50 to 20 in Major Immigration Crackdown

Visa US

US Slashes African Visa Centres from 50 to 20 in Major Immigration Crackdown

Washington D.C. – Thousands of Africans applying for US visas are expected to face higher travel costs and longer processing times after the United States announced it will consolidate its visa services across the continent, slashing the number of diplomatic missions handling visa applications from nearly 50 to just 20 designated hubs . The directive, approved by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and detailed in an internal State Department memorandum obtained by the Associated Press, is part of the Trump administration’s broader effort to tighten immigration controls, strengthen security screening for both immigrant and non-immigrant visa applicants, and crack down on individuals who overstay temporary visas . The changes are expected to take effect in June 2026, according to three U.S. officials who spoke on condition of anonymity .

Under the restructuring plan, full visa-processing services will only be available at 20 strategic locations across Africa. Embassies and consulates in non-hub countries will remain operational but will have their services significantly scaled back. These missions will primarily handle U.S. citizen services, including passport renewals, emergency consular assistance, diplomatic visas, and select cases deemed to be in the U.S. national interest . U.S. diplomats, including consular chiefs, were informed of the changes during a conference call on Friday, May 29, 2026 . One official who was on the call told the Associated Press that the directive represents a major shift in how the United States will engage with African visa applicants moving forward .

The 20 designated visa-processing hubs are: 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, Democratic Republic of Congo; Lagos, Nigeria; Lomé, Togo; Luanda, Angola; Malabo, Equatorial Guinea; Monrovia, Liberia; Nairobi, Kenya; Port Louis, Mauritius; Praia, Cape Verde; and Yaoundé, Cameroon . Each of these hubs will maintain full visa-processing capabilities, including interview scheduling, document submission, and visa issuance for tourists, students, business travellers, and immigrants .

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The consolidation will create seismic travel disruptions across the continent, with applicants from non-hub countries now required to travel across borders — sometimes through multiple countries — to reach one of the 20 approved centres for visa interviews and document submission . For example, a visa applicant in Togo may now have to travel to Accra, Ghana, or Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire — both designated hubs . Someone in Zambia or Zimbabwe could be required to travel to Johannesburg, South Africa — a journey that involves crossing multiple borders and incurring significant transportation and accommodation expenses . In West Africa, Abidjan will serve as the primary visa hub for applicants from neighboring countries such as Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger . While the city’s infrastructure is well-established, experts predict that increased demand could lead to appointment backlogs and accommodation shortages .

One of the most significant changes affects Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation. While Lagos made the list of 20 hubs, the country’s capital, Abuja, has lost its visa-processing status. Nigerians seeking U.S. visas will now be required to travel to Lagos — a journey that poses logistical and financial challenges for applicants from northern regions who previously accessed visa services in Abuja . In East Africa, Nairobi, Kenya, has emerged as the dominant regional hub, alongside Kampala, Uganda; Kigali, Rwanda; Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia . Diplomatic observers note that Nairobi has increasingly become East Africa’s diplomatic and consular hub, mirroring trends among other Western governments that have scaled back services elsewhere in the region . Southern African applicants from countries including Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique will now need to travel to either Cape Town or Johannesburg in South Africa. Johannesburg, as the primary economic centre of the region, is expected to see the highest volumes of visa applicants .

The visa-processing reduction is the latest in a series of immigration measures introduced under the Trump administration. Previous actions have included travel bans affecting several African and Asian countries, a requirement for some visa applicants to post a bond of up to $15,000, staff reductions at U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide, suspension of immigrant visa processing from dozens of countries over public assistance concerns, and health-related restrictions following recent Ebola outbreak declarations . These measures have collectively made it more difficult and expensive for African citizens to obtain U.S. visas, and the latest consolidation is expected to exacerbate these challenges .

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Despite the reduction in visa-processing locations, U.S. embassies and consulates in affected countries will continue to operate for American citizens. These services include passport renewals for U.S. citizens, emergency consular assistance, diplomatic visa cases, and applications considered to be in the United States’ national interest . However, routine visa processing for tourists, students, business travellers, and immigrants will no longer be available at these locations .

The State Department did not directly address the specific details of the internal memo but provided a statement to multiple news outlets . “The 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,” the statement read. “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” .

African diplomats and immigration consultants have expressed concern that the policy could slow legitimate travel and weaken trade ties between the United States and Africa . Critics argue that the centralisation of visa services may disproportionately affect applicants from poorer and more remote regions who can least afford the added travel costs. “The move, which forms part of a broader effort to restrict immigration by limiting visa issuance and tightening controls on overstays, will concentrate resources at larger posts and reduce staffing at smaller ones,” according to analysis from The Kenya Times .

Experts predict that the increased concentration of visa applicants at the 20 hubs could lead to bottlenecks, particularly during peak travel seasons or for high-demand visa categories such as student and employment-based visas. Travelers may need to plan months in advance, account for transit logistics, and prepare for higher overall costs . The consolidation follows years of strained consular operations in Africa, where visa processing has faced backlogs due to staffing shortages, the COVID-19 pandemic, and security concerns at some posts. By centralising services, the State Department aims to manage workloads more efficiently while advancing the administration’s goal of lower overall immigration levels .

For thousands of Africans planning to travel to the United States for tourism, education, business, or family visits, the shake-up means that securing a visa will now require an additional journey — often across international borders — before the journey itself . Key considerations for applicants include increased travel costs for flights, ground transportation, and accommodation at hub locations; extended processing times due to higher demand concentrated at fewer centres; potential appointment backlogs during peak seasons; and additional documentation requirements for border crossings between African countries .

As of June 2026, no exact implementation date has been announced beyond the June target window. Embassies in non-hub countries are expected to update their websites and notify applicants in the coming days . The State Department has not released a detailed implementation timeline for phasing out visa services at the affected missions. The long-term impact of this consolidation on U.S.-Africa relations remains to be seen. While the administration maintains that streamlined operations will allow for stronger security screening without reducing core diplomatic functions, critics warn that the move could discourage legitimate travel and investment between the United States and Africa . Regional governments may need to coordinate transportation, accommodation, and local support to assist their citizens in accessing these hubs. The development underscores the evolving nature of U.S. diplomatic and immigration policies in Africa and their far-reaching effects on international mobility .

Applicants are advised to monitor the websites of their local U.S. embassies for updated information on visa services and to plan accordingly for potential travel to designated hub locations. Experts recommend scheduling appointments well in advance and budgeting for additional travel and accommodation expenses when applying for U.S. visas from African countries.