The Department of State (DOS) announced a reduction in the number of U.S. consulates conducting visa processing in Africa. According to AP news, almost thirty embassies across the continent will cease visa processing operations. The last of these consulates will end their operations by July 1, 2026.
The Secretary of State explained the U.S. will stop visa processing at all but twenty approved sites. Consular sites in non-hub areas will remain open, they just won’t continue visa services. The DOS explained such a move helps the Department employ taxpayer funding in a way that advances American diplomatic priorities.
According to the Department’s memo, visa processing remains at consulates in the following locations:
- Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
- 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, Congo.
- Lagos, Nigeria.
- Lome, Togo.
- Luanda, Angola.
- Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.
- Monrovia, Liberia.
- Nairobi, Kenya.
- Port Louis, Mauritius.
- Praia, Cape Verde.
- Yaoundé, Cameroon.
As always, ILBSG actively monitors ongoing U.S. immigration news. If you have questions about any U.S. immigration related issue, contact us. Working with an experienced attorney ensures you get the right advice based on the most recent laws. In an ever-evolving immigration policy landscape, it’s particularly critical you get the right advice.