Thousands of Africans seeking visas to the United States could soon face a major change in how their applications are processed.
According to reports, the U.S. State Department is preparing to drastically reduce the number of embassies and consulates across Africa that handle visa applications, shrinking the network from nearly 50 processing locations to just 20 regional hubs.
The proposed restructuring is part of a broader diplomatic reorganisation reportedly approved by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Officials familiar with the plan say details were communicated to American diplomats and consular officials during a conference call held on May 29.
If implemented, visa applicants in many African countries may no longer be able to complete their applications in their home countries and could instead be directed to designated regional processing centres.
The planned visa hubs reportedly include major cities such as Lagos, Accra, Nairobi, Johannesburg, Addis Ababa, Dakar and Kampala.
Under the proposal, the selected locations expected to continue processing visas are:
- Lagos (Nigeria)
- Accra (Ghana)
- Nairobi (Kenya)
- Addis Ababa (Ethiopia)
- Johannesburg and Cape Town (South Africa)
- Dakar (Senegal)
- Kampala (Uganda)
- Kigali (Rwanda)
- Dar es Salaam (Tanzania)
- Kinshasa (DR Congo)
- Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire)
- Lomé (Togo)
- Luanda (Angola)
- Malabo (Equatorial Guinea)
- Monrovia (Liberia)
- Port Louis (Mauritius)
- Praia (Cape Verde)
- Yaoundé (Cameroon)
- Djibouti City (Djibouti)
For Nigeria, Lagos would remain one of the key visa-processing centres under the reported arrangement.
While U.S. authorities have not yet announced an official implementation date, the proposal has already sparked discussions about possible increases in travel costs, appointment wait times and administrative challenges for applicants in countries that may lose local visa-processing services.
The reported move comes amid wider changes to America’s diplomatic presence abroad.
Earlier this year, the Trump administration reportedly recalled ambassadors from dozens of countries, with Africa among the regions most affected by the reshuffle.
Supporters of the restructuring argue that concentrating resources in fewer locations could improve efficiency and reduce operational costs.
Critics, however, warn that the changes could make access to U.S. visas more difficult for applicants who would be forced to travel across borders simply to attend interviews or complete processing requirements.
Until an official rollout date is announced, embassies and consulates across Africa are expected to continue operating under existing visa procedures.