Lagos will remain one of only 20 cities in Africa authorised to process US visa applications under a restructuring plan by the United States State Department that will reduce the number of embassies and consulates handling visa services across the continent.
According to a report by the Associated Press (AP), the State Department plans to cut the number of African missions offering full visa processing from nearly 50 to 20 in the coming weeks.
The decision was outlined in an internal memo obtained by AP and confirmed by three U.S. officials familiar with the matter.
The development means applicants in Nigeria will continue to have direct access to full visa services in Lagos. However, people seeking US visas from countries that are not designated as processing hubs will have to travel to approved cities such as Lagos, Nairobi or Johannesburg to complete their applications.
The report said the restructuring is part of a review of US overseas operations aimed at strengthening immigration controls, visa screening procedures and deploying diplomatic resources more efficiently.
Officials linked the changes to initiatives to reduce visa overstays and strengthen enforcement, while also responding to staffing reductions across US diplomatic missions worldwide.
“The State Department plans to drastically slash the number of US embassies and consulates in Africa that can process visas for foreigners seeking to come to the United States.
“The almost 50 US embassies and consulates that are processing visa applications will be reduced to 20 in the coming weeks, according to three U.S. officials and an internal memo obtained by The Associated Press.”
Under the new arrangement, the cities that will retain full visa processing services are 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.
While embassies and consulates outside those locations will remain open, their responsibilities will be scaled back. They will continue providing services to US citizens, emergency assistance and selected diplomatic functions, but will no longer handle the full range of visa processing activities.
The State Department said it is reviewing overseas operations to ensure resources are aligned with US national interests and security requirements.
Although officials have not announced a final implementation date, they indicated that the changes are expected to take effect soon.
The restructuring is likely to increase travel expenses and administrative requirements for visa applicants in non-hub countries, many of whom will now need to cross borders to attend visa interviews and complete processing.
It is also expected to place additional demand on some of Africa’s busiest visa centres, particularly Lagos, Nairobi and Johannesburg, where application volumes are already high.
Lagos is expected to play an even more important part under the new system. The city already handles most US visa applications submitted in Nigeria, especially from the southern part of the country, and serves as a major commercial and diplomatic centre in West Africa.
The United States is also expanding its presence in the city through a new consulate complex under construction in Eko Atlantic City. The facility, valued at about $537 million, is expected to become one of the largest US consulates in the world and will significantly increase capacity for consular and diplomatic operations.
The changes further makes Lagos’ as a fundamental gateway for US visa services in Africa and reiterate Nigeria’s importance in Washington’s diplomatic and mobility strategy on the continent.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has approved measures aimed at visa issuance procedures as part of efforts to strengthen immigration management and security screening, according to officials familiar with the policy.
