Why Is US Cutting Visa Processing Centres In Africa From Nearly 50 To 20

The United States government has announced plans to significantly reduce the number of embassies and consulates in Africa that process visa applications, a move that could reshape how Africans apply for US visas.

According to reports by the Associated Press (AP), nearly 50 US embassies and consulates across the continent currently handle visa applications. However, that number is expected to drop to just 20 designated processing hubs in the coming weeks.

The decision was communicated to US diplomats, including consular chiefs, during a conference call held last Friday. The directive was approved by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and is expected to take effect in June, although an official implementation date has not yet been announced.

Under the new arrangement, the 20 hubs that will continue processing all visa categories are located in Abidjan (Ivory Coast), Accra (Ghana), Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Cape Town and Johannesburg (South Africa), Dakar (Senegal), Dar-es-Salaam (Tanzania), Djibouti, Kampala (Uganda), Kigali (Rwanda), Kinshasa (DR Congo), Lagos (Nigeria), Lome (Togo), Luanda (Angola), Malabo (Equatorial Guinea), Monrovia (Liberia), Nairobi (Kenya), Port Louis (Mauritius), Praia (Cape Verde), and Yaounde (Cameroon).

The move comes six months after the Donald Trump administration recalled ambassadors from more than two dozen countries, including Nigeria, with Africa emerging as the most affected region.

What Are The Reasons For The Reduction Of Visa Processing Centers In Africa

According to internal State Department documents and US officials familiar with the decision, the move is part of the Trump administration’s broader strategy to tighten immigration controls and strengthen visa screening procedures. Some African nationals, including Nigerians, already face the possibility of paying visa bonds of up to $15,000 for certain B1/B2 visa applications, while several African countries remain under partial US travel restrictions.

The planned changes are expected to have a significant impact on visa applicants, particularly those living in countries that will no longer process routine visa applications, as they may now be required to travel to another country to complete their applications.

The administration has repeatedly stated that it wants to reduce both immigrant and non-immigrant visa issuance while addressing concerns about visa overstays by travellers who enter the United States legally but remain beyond the duration of their visas.

US officials also indicated that the consolidation is intended to centralise visa operations in selected regional hubs, allowing resources, personnel, and security screening processes to be concentrated in fewer locations. The State Department said it continually reviews overseas operations to ensure taxpayer resources are deployed efficiently and in line with US national interests.

Another factor behind the decision is the administration’s ongoing effort to strengthen security vetting and background checks for visa applicants. The State Department said the visa process must maintain “rigorous standards of security screening and vetting” while aligning operational capacity with national priorities.

The move also follows broader reductions in staffing at US embassies and consulates worldwide, with the administration seeking to streamline diplomatic operations and reduce operational costs.

While visa services will be scaled back in many African countries, consular sections in non-hub locations are expected to remain open for limited services, including assistance for US citizens, passport renewals, emergency consular support, diplomatic visas, and special national interest cases.

Analysts say the policy could create longer travel distances, additional expenses, and increased waiting times for applicants from countries that lose full visa-processing capabilities. However, US officials maintain that the changes are aimed at improving efficiency, enhancing security oversight, and supporting the administration’s broader immigration objectives.