The U.S. State Department plans to close nearly 30 embassies and consulates that handle visa processing in Africa. This information comes from a memo seen by the Associated Press (AP) on Monday.
This action marks another move by the Trump administration to limit pathways for immigrants aiming to enter the United States. Travel bans affecting many countries in Africa and Asia have been part of this effort. According to AP sources, diplomats were informed on Friday about the plan to reduce visa services to 20 designated hubs throughout the continent.
Reasons Behind Embassy Reductions
A State Department official declined to confirm the decision directly to Newsweek, emphasizing that the department continuously reviews overseas operations. The focus remains on maintaining rigorous security screening and vetting standards in the visa process.
The identified hubs that will continue processing visas across Africa are:
- Abidjan, Ivory Coast
- Accra, Ghana
- Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Cape Town, South Africa
- Dakar, Senegal
- Dar-Es-Salaam, Tanzania
- Djibouti, Djibouti
- Johannesburg, South Africa
- Kampala, Uganda
- Kigali, Rwanda
- Kinshasa, Congo
- Lagos, Nigeria
- Lome, Togo
- Luanda, Angola
- Malabo, Equatorial Guinea
- Monrovia, Liberia
- Nairobi, Kenya
- Port Louis, Mauritius
- Praia, Cape Verde
- Yaounde, Cameroon
Newsweek’s analysis, comparing this list with current U.S. State Department data, shows that embassies not on this list will lose visa processing capabilities. The affected locations are displayed in orange on the accompanying map, with each country’s nearest hub identified.
Although the change has been approved by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, there is no fixed date for implementation. However, sources suggest the changes could take place this month.
Under the new rules, applicants in countries without visa processing must travel to a nearby hub embassy or consulate. Even with the reduction, these sites will continue to offer emergency assistance to American citizens and handle diplomatic visas.
This article is a developing story with contributions from the AP.