State Department To Cut African Visa-Processing Posts From 50 To 20
Secretary of State Marco Rubio approved a directive this week that will cut the number of U.S. embassies and consulates in Africa that can process routine visas from nearly 50 to 20 hubs.[1]
Non-hub embassies and consulates will no longer handle routine visa applications but will continue limited services, including assistance to U.S. citizens and diplomatic or special-national-interest visas.[1] The change is expected to take effect sometime in June 2026, though officials have not set a specific implementation date.[1]
In the week before June 1, 2026, Rubio approved concentrating visa-processing authority at a smaller set of posts across the continent.[1] They include hubs in Abidjan, Accra, Addis Ababa, Cape Town, Dakar, Dar-Es-Salaam, Djibouti, Johannesburg, Kampala and Kigali.[1] Also listed are Kinshasa, Lagos, Lome, Luanda, Malabo, Monrovia, Nairobi, Port Louis, Praia and Yaounde.[1]
Show source details & analysis (1 source)
📌 Key Facts
- In the week before June 1, 2026, Secretary of State Marco Rubio approved a directive reducing African visa-processing posts from almost 50 embassies and consulates to 20 hubs.
- The change is expected to take effect sometime in June 2026, though a specific implementation date has not been set.
- Non-hub embassies and consulates in Africa will no longer conduct routine visa processing but will continue limited services such as assistance to U.S. citizens and diplomatic or special national-interest visas.
- The 20 hubs retaining full visa-processing authority include posts in Abidjan, Accra, Addis Ababa, Cape Town, Dakar, Dar-Es-Salaam, Djibouti, Johannesburg, Kampala, Kigali, Kinshasa, Lagos, Lome, Luanda, Malabo, Monrovia, Nairobi, Port Louis, Praia, and Yaounde.
📰 Source Timeline (1)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time