U.S. to End Routine Visa Processing at Abuja Embassy from August 1

The United States government has announced that routine visa processing at its Embassy in Abuja and 24 other diplomatic missions across Africa will cease from August 1, 2026, as part of a major restructuring of its global consular operations.

The U.S. Department of State said the decision is aimed at centralising routine visa services in selected regional hubs to strengthen national security, improve consistency in visa screening and adjudication, and reduce operational costs.

In a statement published on Wednesday, the department said the reorganisation aligns with the administration of President Donald Trump’s policy of prioritising U.S. security and national interests.

The affected diplomatic missions include those in Abuja, Asmara, Bamako, Banjul, Brazzaville, Bujumbura, Conakry, Cotonou, Durban, Freetown, Gaborone, Harare, Juba, Libreville, Lilongwe, Lusaka, Maputo, Maseru, Mbabane, N’Djamena, Niamey, Nouakchott, Ouagadougou and Windhoek.

Despite the suspension of routine visa processing, the State Department clarified that the affected embassies and consulates will remain fully operational and continue to provide other consular and diplomatic services.

It also assured visa holders that previously issued U.S. visas remain valid and are not affected by the policy change.

Meanwhile, VFS Global has inaugurated a new Joint Visa Application Centre in Lekki, Lagos, to provide visa application services for 15 countries from a single location.

The company said the facility is designed to meet the growing demand for outbound travel from Nigeria and will process applications for Australia, Angola, Austria, Canada, China, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Malta (long stay), Norway, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Sweden and the Dubai Visa Processing Centre (DVPC).

According to VFS Global, visa application volumes from Nigeria in the first half of 2026 remained at the same level as the corresponding period in 2025, following a 51 per cent increase in applications recorded in 2025 compared to 2024.

Regional Head for Central and West Africa at VFS Global, Prashant Kansara, said the relocation to a larger facility in Lekki would improve processing capacity, accessibility and customer experience while maintaining high standards of security and service delivery.

He urged intending travellers to submit their visa applications well ahead of their planned travel dates, especially during peak holiday and student admission seasons, to ensure a smoother application process.