The Trump administration has reportedly planned a significant reduction in visa-processing services across Africa. This move could impact thousands of potential green card lottery winners and relatives of U.S. citizens. According to an analysis by Newsweek, the U.S. State Department might cut the number of U.S. visa-processing embassies and consulates from nearly 50 to 20 regional hubs.
The Associated Press, citing a leaked memo and anonymous sources, indicated this shift. When approached by Newsweek, a State Department official did not confirm the move but stated that the department continually evaluates overseas operations. They aim to maintain a visa process with strict security screening standards.
Newsweek reviewed State Department immigrant visa data from July to September 2025 to understand which countries and applicants could be most affected. The data suggested significant impacts on countries and applicants if consular visa processing shifts away from certain posts in Africa.
The Countries with the Most Visas at Stake
Egypt emerged as the country with the greatest number of visas potentially affected. Cairo processed the most immigrant visas among these posts, issuing 1,995 between July and September 2025. Algiers, Casablanca, Cotonou, and Tunis followed with 867, 752, 365, and 194 visas respectively.
The State Department has not issued specific guidance on replacement posts related to Africa. However, its general guidance advises immigrant visa applicants from countries with suspended or paused routine visa operations to apply at designated processing posts. For instance, Cairo’s nearest hub would be Djibouti, 1,486 miles away. Algiers and Casablanca would redirect to Dakar, while Cotonou would shift to Lagos. Tunis would have Lagos as its nearest alternative, 2,136 miles away.
Who Would Face the Biggest Barriers?
Diversity Visas
Diversity Visas (DV) were the most issued category, totaling 2,165 out of 4,778 issuances across affected posts. The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program offers a path to U.S. residency without requiring family ties or employer sponsorship. The Trump administration has aimed to tighten screening and reduce potential fraud in this program.
Visas for Families of U.S. Citizens
The IR1 visa, for the spouse of a U.S. citizen, was the second most issued with 674 in total. This was followed by the IR5 visa for parents of citizens (417), F4 visa for siblings (334), and IR2 visa for unmarried children under 21 (334).
The Context: Trump’s Immigration Policies
President Trump prioritized immigration control during his presidency. These changes are part of broader measures, including travel bans on various African and Asian countries. The administration argues these steps protect national security and prevent fraud. Critics, however, claim they create obstacles for legal immigration pathways.
The proposed changes in Africa wouldn’t stop immigrant visas entirely, but they could complicate the process for countries losing regular visa services.
Methodology
Newsweek identified impacted African posts by comparing the AP’s list of 20 visa-processing hubs with current Department of State data on the U.S. diplomatic presence in Africa. They examined immigration visa issuance by post and visa class for July to September 2025. After filtering for posts losing routine processing, Newsweek totaled visa issuances by location and class across these months.
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