The Trump administration is reportedly planning to reduce visa-processing services across Africa. This move could impact thousands of potential green card lottery winners and relatives of U.S. citizens, according to an analysis by Newsweek. The U.S. State Department intends to decrease the number of U.S. embassies and consulates that offer visa services in Africa from nearly 50 to 20 regional hubs. This information comes from a leaked memo and anonymous sources, as reported by The Associated Press.
A State Department official declined to confirm this change directly to Newsweek. Instead, they mentioned that the department is consistently reviewing overseas operations, including ensuring the visa process maintains robust security screening standards. Newsweek reached out to the State Department again via email for further comment.
By examining the latest available State Department immigrant visa data from July to September 2025, Newsweek identified the countries and applicants most affected by this shift. Egypt surfaced as the nation with the most visas at risk, while the largest group affected was relatives of U.S. citizens, following Diversity Visa applicants.
Countries with the Most Visas at Risk
Cairo, Egypt, issued the most immigrant visas among the affected locations, with 1,995 visas granted between July and September 2025. Algiers, Algeria, followed with 867, while Casablanca, Morocco, issued 752. Cotonou, Benin, issued 365, and Tunis, Tunisia, issued 194 visas.
The State Department has not yet released detailed replacement-post guidance for this reported plan for Africa. Its general guidance suggests that applicants from countries with suspended or paused visa operations apply in their designated immigrant visa processing post. For instance, Cairo’s nearest remaining hub would be Djibouti, approximately 1,486 miles away. Algiers and Casablanca would be closest to Dakar, around 1,979 miles and 1,443 miles away, respectively. Cotonou and Tunis would be closest to Lagos, roughly 66 miles and 2,136 miles away, respectively.
Who Faces the Biggest Barriers?
Diversity Visas
Diversity Visas (DV) comprised the most common category at the affected posts, with 2,165 out of 4,778 total issuances. The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, also called the green card lottery, provides one of the few paths to permanent U.S. residency without needing family ties or employer sponsorship. The Trump administration has implemented changes to tighten screening and reduce fraud in this program.
Visas for Families of U.S. Citizens
Following Diversity Visas, the IR1 visa, for the spouse of a U.S. citizen, saw 674 issuances. The IR5 visa, for a parent of a U.S. citizen, followed with 417, and the F4 visa, for the sibling of a U.S. citizen, with 334. The IR2 visa, for the unmarried child under 21 of a U.S. citizen, also had 334 issuances.
Context: Trump’s Immigration Crackdown
Immigration crackdown has been a cornerstone of Trump’s presidency. This adjustment represents another cutback on immigrant pathways to the United States. The administration labels these measures as necessary for national security and fraud prevention, while critics argue they create new obstacles for those using legal routes to the U.S.
The planned shift in Africa will not halt the issuance of immigrant visas. However, it could complicate the process for applicants from countries that lose routine visa services.
Methodology
Newsweek identified the affected African posts using the AP’s list of 20 visa-processing hubs and compared it with current Department of State data on the U.S. diplomatic presence in Africa. This analysis involved reviewing State Department data on immigrant visa issuances by post and visa class for July, August, and September 2025. Post data were filtered for countries identified as losing routine visa services, totaling visa issuances by post and visa class over the three-month period.