Washington: The United States (US) State Department has reportedly announced a significant policy change, effective Saturday, August 1, 2026, whereby it will cease the issuance of visas at 24 of its embassies and consulates across the African continent. This decision marks a substantial shift in US visa processing operations within the region.
According to Ghana Web, the affected embassies and consulates include strategic locations such as Abuja, Bamako, Banjul, Brazzaville, Conakry, Cotonou, Durban, and Freetown. The full list comprises 24 missions, with the aim to enhance security measures, streamline government expenditures, and foster consistent visa processing protocols. The US State Department emphasized that these changes would not result in the closure of the affected embassies or consulates nor impact individuals holding valid US visas.
The State Department further clarified that individuals requiring visa services from the impacted countries must now utilize designated regional hubs. In Nigeria, for instance, visa issuance will be exclusively conducted at the US mission in Lagos. Meanwhile, visa services will remain operational at unaffected missions, such as those in Accra, Lom©, and Nairobi, providing alternatives for applicants across the continent.
Applicants in the affected nations will have to travel to these designated hubs for tourist, business, work-related, and immigrant visas. The State Department assures that these adjustments aim to bolster security screening processes while reducing costs and achieving uniformity in visa processing.