The US State Department will stop issuing visas at 24 embassies and consulates across Africa beginning Saturday, August 1, 2026, as part of a broader security and processing overhaul, according to a report by DW Africa.
Why Is the US Halting Visa Services at These Missions?
The State Department says the move is not a closure of any embassy or consulate and will not affect visas already issued. Instead, it is a reorganization of where applicants can apply.
Officials cited three main goals behind the decision:
- Improving security screening procedures for visa applicants
- Reducing government operating costs
- Making visa processing more consistent across the region
Going forward, applicants in the affected countries will need to apply through designated regional hubs for tourist, business, work, and immigrant visas.
Full List: 24 African Missions Suspending Visa Issuance
Effective August 1, 2026, these US embassies and consulates will no longer issue visas:
- Abuja, Nigeria
- Asmara, Eritrea
- Bamako, Mali
- Banjul, The Gambia
- Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo
- Bujumbura, Burundi
- Conakry, Guinea
- Cotonou, Benin
- Durban, South Africa
- Freetown, Sierra Leone
- Gaborone, Botswana
- Harare, Zimbabwe
- Juba, South Sudan
- Libreville, Gabon
- Lilongwe, Malawi
- Lusaka, Zambia
- Maputo, Mozambique
- Maseru, Lesotho
- Mbabane, Eswatini
- N’Djamena, Chad
- Niamey, Niger
- Nouakchott, Mauritania
- Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
- Windhoek, Namibia
Special Case: Nigeria
Nigeria is a notable exception on the list. Visa issuance in Nigeria will now be handled solely through the US mission in Lagos, meaning applicants can no longer process visas in Abuja.
Which African Embassies Are NOT Affected?
Visa services will continue as normal at all other US missions on the continent, including popular hubs like Accra, Lagos, Nairobi, and Lomé. Here is the full list of unaffected missions:
- Lagos, Nigeria
- Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
- 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, DR Congo
- Lomé, Togo
- Luanda, Angola
- Malabo, Equatorial Guinea
- Monrovia, Liberia
- Nairobi, Kenya
- Port Louis, Mauritius
- Praia, Cabo Verde
- Yaoundé, Cameroon
What This Means for Visa Applicants
- Existing valid US visas remain valid — the change does not revoke or affect any visa already issued.
- Affected applicants must travel to or apply through a regional hub for new visa services.
- The change applies to all visa categories, including tourist, business, work, and immigrant visas.
