Thousands of Africans seeking visas to the United States could soon face additional travel costs and longer processing journeys following a decision by the U.S. government to reduce the number of embassies and consulates handling visa applications across the continent.

Under the new arrangement, nearly 50 U.S. diplomatic missions currently processing visas in Africa will be consolidated into just 20 designated hubs in the coming weeks. The move forms part of broader efforts by the administration of President Donald Trump to tighten immigration controls and strengthen oversight of visa issuance.

The changes mean that applicants from countries without designated visa-processing centres may be required to travel to another African country to submit applications or attend visa interviews, adding further financial and logistical burdens for prospective travellers.

Although visa services will be scaled back at many locations, U.S. embassies and consulates in affected countries will continue providing assistance to American citizens, including passport renewals, emergency services and other consular support.

Diplomatic visa applications and cases deemed to be in the U.S. national interest will also continue to receive attention.

According to reports, the 20 centres expected to retain full visa-processing capabilities are located in Abidjan, Accra, Addis Ababa, Cape Town, Dakar, Dar es Salaam, Djibouti, Johannesburg, Kampala, Kigali, Kinshasa, Lagos, Lomé, Luanda, Malabo, Monrovia, Nairobi, Port Louis, Praia and Yaoundé.

The policy comes amid a series of immigration measures introduced by the Trump administration, including stricter visa requirements and increased scrutiny of applicants from several countries.

Analysts say the latest development could make access to U.S. visas more difficult for many Africans, particularly those living in countries that will no longer offer full visa-processing services, potentially increasing waiting times and travel expenses for applicants across the continent. (The Guardian)

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