US to Suspend Routine Visa Services at Embassy in Windhoek from August 2026
By TUW
WINDHOEK – Namibians seeking routine United States visas will no longer be able to apply through the US Embassy in Windhoek from 1 August 2026, following a policy change announced by the US government.
Under the new arrangement, the US Embassy in Windhoek will stop processing routine visa applications, including tourist, business, employment and immigrant visas. Applicants from Namibia will instead be required to submit their applications through designated regional US visa processing hubs.
The US Department of State said the move forms part of a broader restructuring of its consular services across Africa. According to the department, the changes are aimed at strengthening security screening procedures, reducing operational costs and ensuring a more consistent visa processing system.
Despite the suspension of routine visa services, the US Embassy in Windhoek will remain open and continue carrying out its diplomatic responsibilities. The decision also does not affect US visas that have already been issued, which will remain valid until their expiry dates.
Windhoek is among more than 20 diplomatic missions across Africa that will discontinue routine visa processing under the new policy. Other affected locations include embassies in Gaborone, Harare, Lusaka, Maputo, Maseru, Mbabane and Abuja, among others.
Routine visa services will continue at selected US diplomatic missions on the continent, including those in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Nairobi, Accra, Addis Ababa, Luanda, Dakar, Kampala, Kigali and Dar es Salaam, where applicants from affected countries may be directed to lodge their visa applications.
