AP Report: U.S. to Dramatically Reduce Number of Embassies in Africa Capable of Processing Visas

WASHINGTON (AP) — The State Department plans to significantly reduce the number of U.S. embassies and consulates in Africa capable of processing visas for foreigners wanting to come 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 no date set yet for the change, but it is expected 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 efforts to crack down on the issuance of immigrant and nonimmigrant visas as part of its broader goal of limiting immigration to the United States and cracking down on those who travel on temporary visas but then overstay. The administration has also cut staff at embassies and consulates around the world.

In a conference call last Friday, American diplomats, including consular chiefs, were informed that the United States would reduce its visa services across Africa, according to one of the officials at the conference.

Under a directive approved by Secretary of State Marco Rubio last week, the State Department will reduce consular operations in all but 20 “hubs” in Africa, according to officials and the memo.

Visa processing in Africa has already been affected by a travel ban in some countries as well as the requirement that applicants post a deposit of up to $15,000 to apply and, more recently, by restrictions caused by the Ebola outbreak.

The new rules mean a citizen of a non-hub country will have to travel to one of 20 approved locations, which could pose huge travel challenges and costs.

Consular sections of non-hub countries will remain open but will be limited in the services they can offer. They will still be able to assist U.S. citizens with passport renewals and emergency consular applications, as well as special national interest cases and diplomatic visa applications.

The State Department did not address specific issues in the memo, but said it “constantly evaluates its overseas operations in order to deploy taxpayer resources in ways that advance U.S. priorities in the most effective and efficient manner possible.”

He said this “includes a visa process that maintains rigorous standards of security screening and oversight and aligns resources and operational capacity with America’s national interests.”

According to the memo, the 20 hubs that will remain open to all processing are: Abidjan, Ivory Coast; Accra, Ghana; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Cape Town, South Africa; Dakar, Senegal; Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania; Djibouti, Djibouti; Johannesburg, South Africa; Kampala, Uganda; Kigali, Rwanda; Kinshasa, Congo; Lagos, Nigeria; Lomé, Togo; Luanda, Angola; Malabo, Equatorial Guinea; Monrovia, Liberia; Nairobi, Kenya; Port Louis, Mauritius; Beach, Cape Verde; and Yaoundé, Cameroon.

Mednick reported from Tel Aviv.

A free press is the cornerstone of a healthy democracy.

Support trusted journalism and civil dialogue.

Donate now

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos