Lagos has emerged as one of Africa's key visa-processing centres following a decision by the United States government to drastically reduce the number of embassies and consulates across the continent that can process visa applications.
Under the new arrangement, the number of U.S. diplomatic missions in Africa handling visa applications will be reduced from nearly 50 to just 20 designated hubs in the coming weeks.
The move is part of a broader review of U.S. immigration and visa policies under the administration of President Donald Trump.
According to an internal U.S. State Department memo obtained by the Associated Press, Lagos will remain one of the continent's major visa-processing centres, alongside cities such as Accra, Nairobi, Johannesburg, Addis Ababa, Dakar, Kigali, Kampala, and Cape Town.
Meanwhile, many U.S. embassies and consulates that currently process visa applications will no longer offer routine visa services.
The development is expected to elevate the strategic importance of the U.S. Consulate in Lagos, which already handles a significant volume of visa applications from Nigerians.
Under the new system, Lagos could also serve applicants from countries that no longer have full visa-processing facilities, potentially increasing demand for appointments and consular services.
However, the policy is expected to create additional challenges for visa applicants in countries that will no longer host full-service visa-processing centres.
Such applicants may be required to travel to one of the 20 designated hubs to submit applications and attend visa interviews, potentially increasing travel costs and processing complexities.
Despite the reduction in visa-processing locations, affected embassies and consulates are expected to remain operational.
They will continue to provide services for U.S. citizens, including passport renewals, emergency assistance, diplomatic visas, and selected national-interest cases.
Routine immigrant and non-immigrant visa processing, however, will be concentrated at the designated regional hubs.
The decision comes amid a broader tightening of U.S. immigration policies, including stricter visa requirements and increased scrutiny of visa overstays.
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