Zimbabweans Face Extra Costs As US Visa Interviews Moved To Johannesburg
Zimbabweans seeking to migrate to the United States will no longer be able to attend visa interviews in Harare. From 1 November 2025, all applicants must travel to Johannesburg for processing, following sweeping changes announced by the US Department of State.
New rules explained
The Department of State confirmed the shift in a notice dated 28 August 2025, titled Adjudicating Applicants in Their Country of Residence.
The statement read:
“Effective November 1, 2025, the National Visa Center will schedule immigrant visa applicants in their country of residence or, if requested, country of nationality. For Zimbabwe, the designated immigrant visa processing post is Johannesburg.”
This means Harare will no longer handle immigrant visa interviews. Zimbabweans applying for US immigration visas, including family-sponsored and employment-based categories, must travel across the border.
The Department also clarified that existing appointments will “generally not be rescheduled or cancelled”.
The new rules also apply to Diversity Visa (DV-2026) winners, who must now complete their interviews in South Africa.
Confusion for applicants
The announcement has left many Zimbabweans asking questions. Some applicants took to social media to express frustration over the costs of international travel just to attend an interview.
On 27 August 2025, the official account for the US Embassy in Harare, @USEmbZim, posted about another visa policy change, extending the validity of C1/D crew visas. The Embassy wrote:
“Important update: The validity of C1/D (transit/crew member) visas for Zimbabwean applicants has been extended to 24 months with multiple entry. Applications for C1/D visas may be submitted at a U.S. embassy or consulate outside of Zimbabwe at this time.”
But many Zimbabweans saw contradictions in the rules. One user with the handle @Arumlily92 asked:
“When you consider why they have suspended visa applications for Zimbabweans, it’s confusing why they still allow Zimbabweans to submit applications from other countries? Is the fact that I travelled to submit the application in another country a remedy? Very odd.”
Applicants argue that while visas may cost around US$185 (R3,330) for certain categories, the additional expenses of transport, accommodation, and upkeep in Johannesburg far outweigh the base fee.
Embassy maintains pause in Harare
The US Embassy in Harare has repeatedly stressed that the suspension of routine services is not a travel ban.
On 20 August 2025, the Embassy issued a clarification on X:
“We have paused routine visa services in Harare while we address concerns with the Government of Zimbabwe.
This is not a travel ban
The State Department has not publicly shared the specific reasons behind Zimbabwe’s visa service pause. However, in early August 2025, Washington confirmed that Zimbabwe was one of 36 countries asked to improve travel documentation and address the status of its nationals in the US.
For now, Zimbabweans planning to migrate to the US face the additional hurdle of crossing borders to complete the process.
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The post No More US Visas In Harare As Zimbabweans Told To Travel To Johannesburg appeared first on iHarare News.
