June 2, 2026 – The United States will reduce the number of embassies and consulates in Africa that process visa applications from nearly 50 to 20, according to an internal State Department memo and reports by the Associated Press.

The restructuring, approved by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, is part of the Trump administration’s broader push to tighten immigration controls and address visa overstays. The change is expected to take effect in June 2026.

What it means for applicants:
Under the new arrangement, full visa processing services will be concentrated in 20 designated “hubs” across Africa. Nationals of countries not designated as hubs will need to travel to one of the approved centres to submit applications and attend interviews. This is expected to increase travel costs and logistical challenges for many applicants.

Retained visa processing hubs include:
Abidjan, Accra, Addis Ababa, Cape Town, Dakar, Dar es Salaam, Djibouti City, Johannesburg, Kampala, Kigali, Kinshasa, Lagos, Lomé, Luanda, Malabo, Monrovia, Nairobi, Port Louis, Praia, and Yaoundé.

For Nigeria and Ghana, Lagos and Accra will continue offering full US visa processing services, positioning both cities as key regional gateways for travellers seeking entry to the US.

Limited services elsewhere:
Embassies and consulates in non-hub countries will remain operational but services will be limited to US citizen assistance, passport renewals, emergency consular services, diplomatic visas, and selected cases in the US national interest.

The State Department says the move will help deploy taxpayer resources more efficiently while maintaining rigorous security screening and vetting standards.