U.S. Embassy in Kigali Among Few Remaining Visa Processing Centers in Africa
The United States plans to significantly reduce the number of its embassies in Africa authorized to receive, process, and issue U.S. visas, according to a report by the Associated Press (AP).
The move was confirmed by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said visa-processing responsibilities will be consolidated from approximately 50 diplomatic missions across Africa to just 20 locations. No timeline has yet been announced for the implementation of the changes.
The decision is expected to reshape access to U.S. visas for millions of Africans, potentially requiring applicants in many countries to travel abroad to submit applications or attend visa interviews.
The policy reflects a broader approach to immigration that has been a hallmark of President Donald Trump's administrations. During his first term, Trump pursued stricter immigration policies and faced criticism for remarks he made about immigrants from Africa and Haiti.
According to AP, the planned reduction in visa-processing centers could lead to a decline in the number of Africans traveling to the United States due to the increased logistical and financial challenges associated with obtaining visas.
Under the proposed system, visa services would continue to be available in 20 African cities:
- 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, Democratic Republic of Congo
- Lagos, Nigeria
- Lomé, Togo
- Luanda, Angola
- Malabo, Equatorial Guinea
- Monrovia, Liberia
- Nairobi, Kenya
- Port Louis, Mauritius
- Praia, Cape Verde
- Yaoundé, Cameroon
