The United States State Department is planning to sharply reduce the number of its embassies and consulates across Africa authorised to process visa applications, consolidating operations into just 20 designated hubs from a current total of roughly 50 sites. The move, expected to take effect in June, follows a directive signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and was communicated to US diplomats, including consular chiefs, on a conference call last Friday. Three US officials and an internal memo obtained by the Associated Press confirmed the details.

Under the new arrangement, full consular visa services will be concentrated at 20 approved locations spanning the continent, including Nairobi in Kenya, Lagos in Nigeria, Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, Johannesburg and Cape Town in South Africa, Dakar in Senegal, Accra in Ghana, and Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, among others. Consular sections at embassies outside these hubs will remain open but will be restricted to services for American citizens — such as passport renewals and emergency assistance — as well as diplomatic visa applications and special national interest cases.

The consolidation is part of the Trump administration's broader effort to tighten immigration controls, both by limiting the issuance of immigrant and non-immigrant visas and by reducing the risk of travellers entering on temporary visas and then overstaying them. The administration has also significantly scaled back staffing at diplomatic posts worldwide since taking office. The State Department, without addressing the specific contents of the memo, said it "is constantly evaluating its overseas operations in order to deploy taxpayer resources in a way that advances America's priorities as efficiently and effectively as possible."

Visa processing across Africa had already become considerably more difficult in recent months. A travel ban affecting certain African countries, a requirement for applicants to post a bond of up to $15,000 before applying, and additional restrictions tied to an Ebola outbreak had collectively narrowed access well before this latest change.

The practical consequences for many applicants could be severe. Citizens of countries without a hub will now be required to travel — potentially across borders and over long distances — to reach one of the 20 approved sites, adding significant financial and logistical burdens to the visa application process. Africa is a continent of 54 countries, many of which lack direct or affordable transport links to the designated hub cities, meaning the policy could effectively place US visas out of reach for a large number of prospective applicants.