The United States Government has announced plans to discontinue routine visa processing at its embassy in Abuja and 24 other diplomatic missions across Africa from August 1, 2026.
The US Department of State said the decision is part of a broader restructuring of its overseas consular operations aimed at centralising routine visa services in designated regional hubs.
According to the department, the move is intended to strengthen national security, reduce government spending and promote greater consistency in visa screening, vetting and adjudication.
In a statement published on its official website and sighted by PUNCH Online on Wednesday, the department said the restructuring was in line with the administration of President Donald Trump’s priority of protecting US interests and national security.
The statement said the State Department was continually reviewing its overseas operations to ensure that resources were deployed efficiently while maintaining strict standards for visa screening and security checks.
The affected diplomatic missions are located in 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, in addition to Abuja.
The State Department clarified that the changes affect only routine visa processing and will not alter the operational status of the affected embassies and consulates.
It added that the diplomatic missions would continue to provide other consular services and perform their regular diplomatic functions.
The department also assured visa holders that the new arrangement would not invalidate visas that have already been issued.
Under the new system, applicants in the affected countries will be directed to designated regional processing hubs for routine visa services, while the embassies and consulates will continue to provide other diplomatic and consular assistance.
