US Suspends Visa Issuance to Citizens of 12 African Countries, Names Those Affected

• The United States fully suspended both immigrant and nonimmigrant visa issuance to nationals of 12 African countries under a presidential proclamation
• The suspension took effect on 1 January 2026 and covers all visa categories, including tourist, student, work, and residence-based visas
• The 12 African nations are among 39 countries worldwide affected by the broader US entry restriction policy

The United States Department of State has suspended all visa issuance to nationals of 12 African countries, cutting off access to both immigrant and nonimmigrant visa categories under Presidential Proclamation 10998, which came into force at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on 1 January 2026.

The proclamation, formally titled "Restricting and Limiting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the Security of the United States," applies to nationals of 39 countries globally, with 12 of those being African nations.

12 African countries affected by visa ban

The African nations whose nationals now face a complete suspension of visa issuance are Burkina Faso, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Libya, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan.

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The suspension covers every visa category available under US immigration law, meaning affected nationals cannot obtain tourist, student, work, or residence-based visas under the current rules. The restrictions also extend to individuals travelling on documents issued or endorsed by the Palestinian Authority.

How the proclamation came into effect

The current order builds on an earlier directive, Presidential Proclamation 10949, which had previously suspended entry for nationals of 19 countries. Proclamation 10998 retained those earlier restrictions while broadening their scope and replacing the previous order entirely when it took effect at the start of 2026.

The US government stated that the policy is driven by security concerns, specifically that certain countries have inadequate identity verification systems, insufficient information-sharing arrangements with the United States, or other gaps that make it difficult to carry out reliable background checks on their nationals. The State Department said the restrictions are intended to ensure that visa holders do not pose a risk to national security or public safety.

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The breadth of the suspension, covering all visa categories without exception, marks a significant tightening of US immigration policy towards the affected African nations and leaves their nationals with no available pathway to obtain US visas under the current rules.

US names Air Force recruits and age limit

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that the US Air Force had announced the age range within which foreign nationals may apply to enlist.

The acceptable age range is 17 to 42 years old.

Source: YEN.com.gh