US to suspend routine visa services at Abuja embassy from August 1

The United States will suspend routine visa processing at its embassy in Abuja from August 1 as part of a wider reorganisation of consular services across Africa.

The development will also affect 24 other U.S. diplomatic missions on the continent, with applicants in the affected countries expected to use designated regional processing centres for routine visa applications.

Under the new arrangement, the U.S. Embassy in Abuja will continue to provide services for American citizens, emergency consular assistance, diplomatic visas and other special categories, while routine immigrant and non-immigrant visa processing will no longer be handled at the mission.

The restructuring is part of the U.S. government’s plan to centralise routine visa services at selected regional hubs in a bid to streamline consular operations.

The changes are expected to take effect from August 1.