The United States has announced plans to discontinue routine visa services at its embassy in Abuja and 24 other diplomatic locations across Africa from August 1, 2026.
The US Department of State said the decision was part of a broader realignment of overseas visa operations aimed at improving security screening, reducing government costs and standardising visa processing procedures.
In a statement, the department said the review of its global operations was designed to align resources with US national interests while maintaining strict vetting requirements.
“The Department of State is constantly evaluating its overseas operations in order to advance America’s priorities as efficiently and effectively as possible,” the statement said.
It added that the policy would not affect the operations of the affected embassies and consulates or the other services they provide to American citizens.
The affected African posts include Abuja, 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.
The State Department said the changes would not invalidate existing US visas. Applicants requiring new visas after the implementation date will have to use designated regional visa processing centres.
Visa categories affected by the realignment include immediate relative visas, family preference visas, employment-based visas, fiancé(e) visas, adoption cases, diversity visas, and follow-to-join cases for asylees and refugees.
According to the department, the regional hub model has already been used successfully in parts of Africa and Europe.
Lagos, 19 other African posts to retain services
Despite the changes, routine US visa services will continue at selected diplomatic posts, 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 designated hubs will continue to process non-immigrant visa applications, including tourist, business and petition-based visas, as well as immigrant visa applications.
The department also confirmed that existing restrictions, including visa suspensions under Presidential Proclamation 10998, visa bond requirements and immigrant visa pauses affecting certain nationalities, remain in force.
It advised applicants from affected countries to book appointments and pay required visa fees at their assigned regional processing locations from August 1, 2026.
The move is expected to affect many Nigerian applicants who currently process US visas in Abuja, requiring them to travel to Lagos or other designated centres for interviews and processing.
Nigeria remains one of the largest sources of US visa applications in Africa, with the Abuja embassy and Lagos consulate serving as the country’s main visa processing points.
