US Ends Visa Processing in Abuja, 24 Other African Cities From August
The United States government has announced that routine visa processing will no longer be available at its embassy in Abuja from August 1, 2026, as part of a broader restructuring that affects 24 other diplomatic missions across Africa.
The decision was disclosed in a statement issued by the US Department of State, which said the move is intended to centralise visa operations at selected regional hubs while strengthening security checks, improving efficiency and reducing operational costs.
According to the Department, the restructuring is in line with the Trump administration’s commitment to prioritising the safety of Americans and ensuring that overseas operations better serve US national interests.
“The Department of State continually reviews its overseas operations to ensure resources are deployed effectively while maintaining strict standards for visa screening, vetting and adjudication,” the statement said.
Officials stressed that the change only affects where routine visa applications will be processed and does not mean any embassy or consulate is closing.
Diplomatic missions impacted by the policy will continue carrying out other consular and diplomatic responsibilities.
The Department also clarified that visas already issued remain valid and are not affected by the new arrangement.
Besides Abuja, visa services will also be discontinued at US diplomatic missions 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.
Meanwhile, routine visa applications will continue to be processed at selected US embassies and consulates across the continent, including Lagos, Abidjan, Accra, Addis Ababa, Cape Town, Dakar, Dar es Salaam, Djibouti, Johannesburg, Kampala, Kigali, Kinshasa, Lomé, Luanda, Malabo, Monrovia, Nairobi, Port Louis, Praia and Yaoundé.
The State Department noted that similar regional visa processing arrangements have already been implemented successfully in parts of Africa and Europe, describing the latest expansion as another step toward creating a more streamlined and secure global visa system.
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