US embassy pauses most visa processing in Zimbabwe

The United States Embassy in Zimbabwe will temporarily pause all routine visa services starting Thursday, according to a memo from the U.S. State Department obtained by Semafor. The suspension affects both immigrant and nonimmigrant visa categories, including tourist (B1/B2), business, student, and exchange visitor visas.

While described as a "temporary" measure, the pause is being linked to concerns over visa misuse and overstays by Zimbabwean nationals in the United States.

A senior State Department official cited Zimbabwe's B1 and B2 visa overstay rate of 10.57%, translating to 709 individuals who remained in the U.S. beyond the permitted time. Student visa overstays were also highlighted as a rising concern.

"The Administration is always working to prevent visa overstay and misuse," the official stated, adding that Zimbabwe's lack of agreement to a safe third country or third country national arrangement was another contributing factor. Such agreements allow asylum seekers to have their claims processed in a country they passed through en route to the U.S., rather than in the U.S. itself.

To date, only a few African nations — Eswatini, Rwanda, and South Sudan — have publicly agreed to such arrangements, despite pressure from U.S. officials, particularly under the Trump administration, for broader cooperation on deportations of non-national migrants.

The embassy clarified that the pause will not affect valid visas already issued. Certain categories, such as official and C-3 diplomatic visas, will continue to be processed.

The decision is likely to impact Zimbabweans with plans to study, work, or travel in the United States, and adds a layer of complexity to already strained immigration and diplomatic discussions between the two nations.