The United States Department of State has announced that routine US visa processing at the US Embassy in Abuja and 24 other diplomatic missions across Africa will stop from August 1, 2026, as Washington restructures its overseas consular operations.

The change will see applicants in affected locations access routine visa services through designated regional processing hubs, while the embassies and consulates will continue providing other diplomatic and consular services.

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The US Department of State said the move was designed to strengthen visa screening procedures, improve operational efficiency and reduce government spending by concentrating routine processing activities in selected regional centres.

In a statement published on its official website, the department said the adjustment was part of ongoing efforts to align overseas operations with national priorities and security requirements.

“The Department of State is constantly evaluating its overseas operations in order to advance America’s priorities as efficiently and effectively as possible,” the statement said.

The department added that the new arrangement would maintain strict standards for security screening, vetting and visa adjudication.

The affected African missions include those in Abuja, Nigeria, as well as diplomatic posts in countries such as Benin, Cameroon, Ghana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Senegal and South Africa.

The US government stressed that the policy only affects routine visa processing and does not mean the closure of any embassy or consulate involved.

“All diplomatic missions will continue to provide consular services and carry out their regular functions on behalf of the United States,” the department said.

Travellers who already hold valid US visas will also not be affected by the change, according to the announcement.

The restructuring comes as the United States continues to review its global consular network, with a focus on balancing immigration controls, security measures and resource allocation.

For Nigerian applicants, the adjustment means routine visa applications previously handled through Abuja may now require processing through a regional hub designated by US authorities.

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The US visa processing change is expected to reshape how applicants in Nigeria and other affected African countries access American travel services, although officials said the broader diplomatic relationship with the countries involved remains unchanged.