US govt stops visa processing in Zimbabwe, cites “national security” and misuse

HARARE – The United States government has temporarily suspended all routine immigrant and nonimmigrant visa services, with the exception of most diplomatic and official visas, effective immediately.

This pause, which has left many Zimbabweans with scheduled interviews in limbo, comes as part of a broader US initiative to address visa overstays.

The embassy announced that consular operations have been paused following instructions from Washington. Officials are awaiting further guidance on when visa appointments and interviews can be rescheduled.

The embassy stated the move is to “protect our nation” and to prevent “visa overstay and misuse.”

“The US Embassy in Harare, Zimbabwe, has paused all routine immigrant and nonimmigrant visa services with the exception of most diplomatic and official visas,” the embassy announced on Thursday evening.

“The Trump Administration is protecting our nation and our citizens by upholding the highest standards of national security and public safety through our visa process.

“We are always working to prevent visa overstay and misuse. Applicants with scheduled visa interviews will receive information once appointments can be rescheduled.”

Zimbabwean travelers with valid visas or permanent residency cards are not affected and can still travel to the U.S. Applications submitted from other countries are also unaffected.

The suspension is directly linked to recent data on visa overstays. According to U.S. data, Zimbabwe had a 10.57% overstay rate for B-1/B-2 tourist and business visas in 2023. This is one of the reasons for the new policy.

In a related development, the US has introduced a new, one-year visa bond pilot program for nationals of Malawi and Zambia, which also have high overstay rates.

This program requires some applicants from these countries to pay a refundable visa bond of up to US$15,000. The bond amount is determined at the time of the visa interview and is returned if the traveler leaves the US within the permitted timeframe.

Malawi’s overstay rate was 14.3% in 2023, while Zambia’s was 10.5%. While Malawi and Zambia are part of the new visa bond program, Zimbabwe has had its visa processing suspended entirely.