U.S. Reduces Visa-Processing Embassies in Africa, Restructuring Consular Services
The U.S. Government is implementing a significant overhaul of its visa-processing operations in Africa, reducing the number of embassies handling applications from 50 to 20 regional hubs across 19 countries. This shift, part of broader diplomatic adjustments, aims to enhance efficiency and reduce costs, but it has sparked concerns about increased travel burdens for applicants in affected regions.
Key Changes and Regional Hubs
The U.S. State Department has identified 19 African countries to serve as regional visa-processing centers. These hubs include major cities such as:
Processing Embassies
Abidjan (Ivory Coast)
Accra (Ghana)
Addis Ababa (Ethiopia)
Johannesburg and Cape Town (South Africa)
Dakar (Senegal)
Dar es Salaam (Tanzania)
Kampala (Uganda)
Nairobi (Kenya)
Lagos (Nigeria)
And others, including Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of State Official Grilled On 'Restrictive' Visa Policies Preventing African Investors From Visiting US
