The US State Department plans to significantly reduce the number of US embassies and consulates in Africa that can issue visas to foreigners seeking to go to the United States.
The roughly 50 U.S. embassies and consulates that process visa applications will be reduced to 20 in the coming weeks, according to three U.S. officials and an internal memo obtained by The Associated Press.
There is still no set date for the change, but it is expected to happen in June, according to the officials, who were not authorized to comment to the media and spoke on condition of anonymity.
The move is part of the Trump administration’s effort to eliminate the issuance of immigrant and nonimmigrant visas as part of its broader goal to limit immigration to the United States and clamp down on those who travel on temporary visas but then overstay. The administration has also reduced staffing at embassies and consulates around the world.
In a conference call last Friday, American diplomats, including consular chiefs, were told that the United States would reduce visa services throughout Africa, according to one of the officials who participated in the call.
Under a directive approved by Secretary of State Marco Rubio last week, the State Department will reduce consular operations at all but 20 “posts” in Africa, according to the officials and the memo.
