US Visa Services Cut in Burundi as Washington reduces visa centres across Africa, requiring applicants to use regional processing hubs
The United States Embassy in Burundi will no longer issue American visas after Washington decided to reduce the number of visa processing centres across Africa from 50 to 20, marking a significant change in consular services on the continent.
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The move means visa applicants in Burundi will be required to seek services at designated regional centres rather than applying through the embassy in Bujumbura.
According to the new arrangement, the remaining visa centres in Africa will include Kigali in Rwanda, Dar es-Salaam in Tanzania, Djibouti City in Djibouti, Johannesburg in South Africa, Kampala in Uganda and Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, among other approved locations.
The decision forms part of a broader restructuring of U.S. consular operations aimed at consolidating visa processing services across the region.
Washington has not publicly detailed the timeline for implementation or how the reduction will affect application processing times.
The closure of visa issuance services in Burundi is expected to have a direct impact on travellers, students, businesspeople and other applicants who will now need to travel to neighbouring countries to complete visa procedures.
The development represents a major shift in access to U.S. visa services in East and Central Africa, with regional centres expected to absorb applications previously handled by embassies affected by the restructuring.
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Further information on application procedures and appointment arrangements is expected from U.S. diplomatic missions as the changes take effect.
Mariam Balogun is a contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, business, and public affairs.
