The U.S. government has announced official application locations for citizens of seven African countries that currently lack local visa services. This move aims to streamline the visa application process for applicants who previously faced the challenge of traveling long distances to access U.S. consular services.

1. The U.S. government has implemented new rules for nonimmigrant visa appointments, requiring interviews at the applicant's embassy or consulate within their nationality or residence country.
2. Applicants must show legal residence in the country where they apply, and interviews outside the residency country may face added difficulties.
3. For applicants from countries lacking routine U.S. visa services, specific embassies and consulates have been assigned for processing.
4. These measures arise due to concerns over political instability, regional security, or limited diplomatic operations in certain nations.

The U.S. Department of State recently issued a policy requiring that, effective immediately, visa interviews be conducted strictly at the embassy or consulate in the applicant’s country of nationality or residence.

For countries without official centers for routine U.S. visa services, the newly designated locations will serve as official points for submitting applications, attending interviews, and obtaining guidance, providing a crucial alternative that eases access and reduces the logistical burdens previously faced by applicants.

The development marks the latest phase in the continued tightening of U.S. visa rules under President Donald Trump’s administration, which has pursued stricter immigration controls with a particular impact on African applicants.

According to a statement issued by the U.S. Department of State, applicants must be able to demonstrate legal residence in the country where they are applying if their place of application is based on residency.

"Applicants for U.S. nonimmigrant visas (NIV) should schedule their visa interview appointments at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in their country of nationality or residence."

"Nationals of countries where the U.S. government is not conducting routine nonimmigrant visa operations must apply at the designated embassy or consulate, unless their residence is elsewhere." the statement noted.

The Department further cautioned that applicants who schedule nonimmigrant visa interviews at a U.S. embassy or consulate outside their country of nationality or residence may face greater difficulty in qualifying for a visa.

Visa Interviews Tied to Locations

Under the revised guidelines, applicants for U.S. nonimmigrant visas (NIV) no longer have the flexibility to select from a wide range of consular posts, as was previously the case.

Instead, all interviews must take place in the applicant’s home country or country of residence, a move aimed at streamlining consular operations and reducing irregularities in visa scheduling.

For nationals of countries where the United States does not conduct routine visa services often due to security concerns or the absence of a permanent diplomatic mission, the Department of State has designated specific embassies and consulates to process their applications.

For instance, Afghan nationals are now directed to Islamabad, Pakistan, while Russian applicants must apply in Astana, Kazakhstan, or Warsaw, Poland, given the suspension of most consular functions in their respective countries.

The same rules apply to several African nations where the U.S. lacks routine visa services.

To address this gap, the State Department has outlined designated application locations for seven African countries, ensuring that their citizens have a clear path to secure visa appointments.

The full list of affected African nations and their assigned consular posts is provided in the table below;

S/NCountryDesignated location

1

Chad

Yaoundé

2

Libya

Tunis

3

Niger

Ouagadougou

4

Somalia

Nairobi

5

South Sudan

Nairobi

6

Sudan

Cairo

7

Zimbabwe

Johannesburg

The table shows the seven African countries where the United States does not currently provide routine nonimmigrant visa services and the specific embassies or consulates designated to handle applications from their nationals.

Chadians must apply in Yaoundé, Libyans in Tunis, Nigeriens in Ouagadougou, Somalis and South Sudanese in Nairobi, Sudanese in Cairo, and Zimbabweans in Johannesburg.

The absence of services in these countries stems from political instability, security risks, or limited U.S. diplomatic operations, requiring applicants to use regional embassies better equipped to handle visa processing. (BUSINESS INSIDER AFRICA)