US Announces Major Visa Shake-Up, Abuja Among Cities Affected

Keep up with the latest news and be part of our weekly giveaways and airtime sharing; follow our WhatsApp channel for more updates. Click to Follow us

The United States has announced plans to end routine visa services in Abuja and 24 other diplomatic locations across Africa, with the policy taking effect from August 1, 2026.

The announcement was contained in a statement issued by the US Department of State, which explained that the restructuring is aimed at consolidating visa processing into regional hubs.

According to the department, the move is intended to strengthen national security, reduce unnecessary government spending and ensure consistent standards in visa screening, vetting and adjudication.

The statement added that President Donald Trump’s administration is restructuring overseas operations to better promote American interests while prioritising the safety of its citizens.

It stated, “The Department of State is constantly evaluating its overseas operations in order to advance America’s priorities as efficiently and effectively as possible.

“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.

“The Trump administration has no higher priority than the safety and security of Americans, and the State Department will continue to provide Americans with appropriate consular services and assistance at diplomatic posts around the world.”

Other African diplomatic missions affected by the visa services realignment include Asmara, Bamako, Banjul, Brazzaville, Bujumbura, Conakry, Cotonou, Durban, Freetown, Gaborone, Harare, Juba, Libreville and Lilongwe.

Also listed are Lusaka, Maputo, Maseru, Mbabane, N’Djamena, Niamey, Nouakchott, Ouagadougou and Windhoek.

The US State Department clarified that the restructuring will not affect the operational status of the embassies and consulates involved, noting that they will continue carrying out their diplomatic and consular responsibilities.

It further explained that the policy will not invalidate any US visas that are currently in use.

The department also noted that similar visa service realignments have already been implemented successfully in parts of Africa and Europe.

Meanwhile, routine visa processing will continue at US embassies and consulates located in Lagos, Abidjan, Accra, Addis Ababa, Cape Town, Dakar, Dar-Es-Salaam, Djibouti, Johannesburg, Kampala, Kigali, Kinshasa, Lome, Luanda, Malabo, Monrovia, Nairobi, Port Louis, Praia and Yaoundé.

Please don’t forget to “Allow the notification” so you will be the first to get our gist when we publish it. 
Drop your comment in the section below, and don’t forget to share the post.