Why Washington is reducing visa processing across Africa

xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogleAdd Al Jazeera on GoogleinfoAccording to US State Department data, more than 540,000 non-immigrant visas were issued to applicants in Africa in fiscal year 2024 [Jose Luis Gonzalez/Reuters]By Al Jazeera staffPublished On 5 Jun 20265 Jun 2026

The United States is planning to centralise visa processing across Africa, reducing the number of embassies and consulates handling applications from about 50 locations to roughly 20, according to an internal US Department of State memo cited in US media reports.

Under the proposal, routine visa interviews would be moved out of many posts and concentrated in smaller regional hubs. Embassies are expected to remain open and continue their diplomatic work.

The plan does not change who can get a US visa. It changes where applicants go to apply – and, for some, how far they may need to travel.

Visa interviews would no longer be handled in many individual embassies and consulates, but instead centralised in regional processing hubs across the continent.

Most embassies would stop handling routine visa interviews, even if they continue with other consular and diplomatic functions.

Applicants in affected countries would then need to travel to another country to complete their visa interview.

Cities such as Nairobi, Johannesburg, Addis Ababa, Accra and Dakar are expected to take on larger roles, although the final structure has not been confirmed publicly.

It is not yet clear when the proposal would be implemented, but according to officials cited in US media reports, the changes could take effect in the coming weeks.

The State Department has not publicly provided a detailed explanation for the proposal.

However, visa policy experts and former consular officials say such reforms are often associated with efforts to standardise decision-making, strengthen oversight and fraud detection, and address staffing pressures across overstretched embassies.

Many consular sections have faced significant workload constraints in recent years, and consolidating applications could allow resources to be deployed more efficiently.

“This consolidation is entirely consistent with the Trump administration’s second-term foreign policy posture – one that has systematically deprioritised multilateral engagement in favour of transactional, security-first relationships,” Aaliyah Vayez, an international relations analyst based in South Africa, told Al Jazeera.

Visa and immigration systems have also become increasingly tied to political debates in Washington over border security, migration management and government efficiency.

According to US State Department data, more than 540,000 non-immigrant visas were issued to applicants in Africa in fiscal year 2024, reflecting sustained demand for travel, study and business opportunities across the continent.

There is currently no indication that the proposal would change the legal criteria used to approve or reject visa applications.

Applicants would continue to be assessed under existing US immigration laws and regulations.

However, experts say higher travel costs, visa fees and logistical hurdles could discourage some people from applying, particularly students, families and small-business owners.

“While the latest development is situated within the general tightening of immigration policies by the Trump administration, it also signals an eroding leadership of the US in Africa. It will certainly make visa attainment a lot harder for Africans, as increased costs associated with travelling to consulates for visas will serve as a deterrent,” Mubarak Aliyu, political and security analyst in Nigeria, told Al Jazeera.

As a result, while approval rates may remain unchanged, the overall number of applications submitted from some countries could decline.

For most applicants, the effect would be practical rather than procedural.

Where visa services are no longer available locally, applicants would need to travel abroad for interviews, adding extra costs, time and logistical challenges.

Some applicants may also face longer or less predictable waiting times as demand becomes concentrated in fewer processing centres.

The impact is likely to vary significantly across the continent. Countries that retain visa-processing facilities may see limited disruption, while others could lose local access to the process entirely.

The proposal comes as the Trump administration pursues a broader review of US government operations overseas, with a greater emphasis on migration control, security concerns and reducing administrative costs.

Since returning to office, the administration has also proposed changes to aspects of US foreign assistance and diplomatic engagement, arguing that government programmes should better align with US strategic interests.

Analysts say the visa-processing changes reflect that wider approach, placing efficiency, oversight and security considerations at the centre of policy decisions.

US embassies and consulates would remain open and continue their diplomatic work, including political engagement, security cooperation and economic relations.

The proposal primarily affects visa processing rather than broader diplomatic activities.

“Washington is not reducing visas to punish Africa. The concern, officials argue, is visa overstays and compliance with immigration rules. Every country wants assets, not liabilities,” Mawuko Kuadzi, Africa Image ambassador in Ghana, told Al Jazeera.

Some analysts say the proposal is likely to be seen in parts of Africa as part of a broader pattern of tightening mobility rules and increasing barriers to access.

“From what the US embassy puts out, they are not reducing but pausing the issuance of immigrant visas to applicants from the stated countries because they don’t want these applicants to be public charge when they enter the US,” Dennis Amchree, former director of the Department of State Services in Nigeria, told Al Jazeera.

“Every country, therefore, has the responsibility to properly vet those they will allow into their country,” he added.

“The continent is being asked to absorb another significant restriction with fewer tools than ever to contest it,” said Aaliyah Vayez.