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The United States Embassy in Freetown has announced that it will discontinue routine visa processing services in Sierra Leone effective 1 August 2026, as part of a wider realignment of US visa operations across Africa.
According to the embassy, Sierra Leoneans seeking US visas will now be required to complete their visa applications, pay applicable fees, and attend interviews at designated regional visa processing centres in Monrovia, Liberia; Accra, Ghana; or Dakar, Senegal.
The change follows a new US policy under Presidential Proclamation 10998, which redirects routine nonimmigrant and immigrant visa categories, including tourist, business, student, family, and diversity visas, to selected regional hubs across the continent.
The US government said the restructuring is aimed at strengthening national security measures while improving the efficiency of visa services by consolidating routine processing in fewer locations.
The affected services at the US Embassy in Freetown will include all routine visa categories, meaning applicants will no longer be able to complete the full visa process locally after the effective date.
However, the embassy clarified that its operations in Sierra Leone will continue, with the facility remaining open to provide American Citizen Services (ACS) and limited consular support.
The announcement forms part of a broader adjustment affecting several US diplomatic missions across Africa, where routine visa services will also be transferred to regional centres.
Sierra Leoneans planning to travel to the United States have been advised to make arrangements for visa appointments at the designated regional hubs following the implementation of the new system.
