The United States has suspended all routine visa processing for Zimbabwean citizens, marking another escalation in Trump administration’s tightening of travel rules for parts of Africa.
The State Department confirmed on Thursday that the U.S. Embassy in Harare will pause issuing standard visas starting Friday “while we address concerns with the Government of Zimbabwe.”
According to officials, the freeze will not apply to most diplomatic or official visas. The embassy described the step as temporary and linked it to ongoing efforts to “prevent visa overstay and misuse.”
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The move follows the Trump administration’s rollout earlier this week of a controversial visa bond program targeting Malawi and Zambia. Under the pilot, nationals from those two countries seeking tourist or business visas must post bonds of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000, forfeitable if they overstay.
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In addition, travelers under the scheme must enter and exit through only three U.S. airports, Boston Logan, New York JFK, or Dulles International near Washington, D.C. The program will take effect on August 20.
Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Zambia were already on a U.S. list of 36 nations, most of them African, ordered to strengthen travel documentation and address the status of citizens living illegally in America. Failure to comply could lead to broader entry bans.
“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,” the State Department said in its statement.
The freeze on Zimbabwean visas adds to a series of restrictions imposed on African travelers during Trump’s presidency. In June, the U.S. government introduced outright travel bans on citizens from 12 countries, seven in Africa, and increased screening for nationals from seven others, three of them on the continent.
