US Cuts Routine Visa Services at Abuja Embassy, 24 Other African Missions

The United States has announced that it will discontinue routine visa processing at its embassy in Abuja and 24 other diplomatic missions across Africa from August 1, 2026, as part of a major overhaul of its global consular operations.

According to the US Department of State, the restructuring is designed to centralise routine visa processing in selected regional hubs, a move it says will strengthen national security, improve the consistency of visa screening, and reduce operational costs.

In a statement published on its official website, the department said the initiative aligns with the Donald Trump administration’s policy of prioritising America’s security and national interests.

“The Department of State continually evaluates its overseas operations to ensure they advance America’s priorities in the most efficient and effective manner. This includes maintaining a visa process that upholds rigorous security screening and vetting standards while aligning resources and operational capacity with America’s national interests.

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

The affected diplomatic missions include the US Embassy in Abuja, as well as posts in Asmara, Bamako, Banjul, Brazzaville, Bujumbura, Conakry, Cotonou, Durban, Freetown, Gaborone, Harare, Juba, Libreville, Lilongwe, Lusaka, Maputo, Maseru, Mbabane, N’Djamena, Niamey, Nouakchott, Ouagadougou and Windhoek.

Despite the change, the State Department stressed that the affected embassies and consulates will remain fully operational. It explained that only routine visa processing would be transferred to regional centres, while all other diplomatic and consular services would continue as normal.

The department also assured travellers that visas already issued remain valid and will not be affected by the new policy.

The United States periodically reviews its diplomatic footprint worldwide as part of efforts to improve efficiency, optimise resources and modernise the delivery of consular services.

Under the new arrangement, applicants in countries affected by the policy will be required to submit routine visa applications through designated regional processing hubs, while their local US embassies and consulates continue to provide passport services, emergency assistance, and other diplomatic functions.