Major South African city set to lose US visa services at consulate
The Trump administration’s US visa cuts could see an American consulate in SA lose its processing abilities in the coming weeks.
The United States plans to drastically scale back its visa processing hubs in Africa, sparking speculation over which South African consulate will lose its services. A recent Trump administration directive, expected to take effect in June, aims to reduce the number of African processing embassies from 50 to just 20.
According to a report, the impending US visa cuts might spell the end for processing services in Durban, while the Cape Town and Johannesburg consulates will likely remain unaffected.
US visa challenges in Durban
An internal memo obtained by the Associated Press confirms that Johannesburg and Cape Town are among the 20 hubs approved by Secretary of State Marco Rubio to maintain full consular operations.
Should Durban officially lose its processing status, residents from the region will face travel challenges and additional costs to secure their American travel documentation at the remaining national hubs.