The United States Department of State has announced that it will cease all routine visa processing at its Abuja embassy and 24 other diplomatic missions across Africa, effective August 1, 2026.
The change consolidates all nonimmigrant and immigrant visa adjudications into 20 designated regional hubs across the continent.
Under the new arrangement, routine visa operations for applicants in Nigeria will be centralized at the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos, requiring travelers who previously processed applications in the capital to travel to Lagos or other regional centers.
U.S. officials framed the decision as a strategic realignment intended to strengthen national security, standardize vetting procedures, and improve administrative efficiency.
Despite the closure of routine visa operations at the affected missions, the U.S. State Department emphasized that the embassies themselves will remain fully open and continue to provide standard consular services to American citizens abroad.
The policy change applies to new visa applications submitted on or after August 1, 2026. Officials confirmed that currently valid U.S. visas remain active and unaffected by the consolidation.