The U.S. State Department plans to close nearly 30 embassies and consulates in Africa that handle visa processing, a move revealed by an Associated Press (AP) memo. This decision aligns with the Trump administration’s strategy to limit immigration pathways to the U.S., including imposing travel bans on various African and Asian nations.
Reduction to Regional Visa Processing Hubs
According to AP sources, diplomats were informed that visa services would consolidate into 20 designated hubs across Africa. This change will reduce the number of locations where visas are processed, concentrating operations in specific cities.
The cities designated as hubs are:
- 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
- Yaounde, Cameroon
The map provided with the AP memo highlights these hubs and indicates countries where consular visa processing will cease. Affected applicants will need to visit a nearby hub for visa processing. However, locations losing these services will still cater emergency assistance to American citizens and handle diplomatic visa matters.
Impact and Implementation Timeline
While no specific date has been confirmed, the transition, approved by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, is expected to commence this month. This restructuring reflects ongoing evaluations by the State Department of its international operations, aiming to uphold high standards in security screening and vetting processes.
This situation remains fluid, and further details will be reported as they emerge. This report includes information from the Associated Press.
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