US Temporarily Pauses Most Visa Processing in Zimbabwe
The United States is temporarily suspending all routine visa services at its embassy in Zimbabwe starting Thursday, in a move tied to concerns about visa overstays and diplomatic disagreements.
US Suspends Most Zimbabwe Visa Applications
According to a memo from the US State Department, the pause will affect both immigrant and non-immigrant visa applications. This includes tourist, business, student, and exchange visitor visas. Only a few exceptions — such as diplomatic and official visas — will still be processed.
However, the embassy confirmed that Zimbabweans who already hold valid US visas won’t be affected by the suspension.
US points finger at Zimbabwe’s visa overstay rate
A senior US State Department official said the decision is part of a wider effort by the Biden administration to clamp down on visa abuse. Zimbabwe’s visa overstay rate — particularly for B1 and B2 visas (used for business and tourism) — is said to be too high. The official said 10.57% of Zimbabweans with these visas overstayed in the US, amounting to around 709 people.
Student visa violations were also flagged, though exact numbers were not shared.
Standoff over asylum processing
The US official also suggested that Zimbabwe’s unwillingness to sign a “safe third country” agreement played a role in the suspension. These agreements would allow the US to send asylum seekers back to countries they passed through on their way to America, but Zimbabwe has refused to be part of such an arrangement.
So far, only three African countries, Eswatini, Rwanda, and South Sudan, have publicly agreed to such deals.
The visa suspension comes in the context of broader US immigration enforcement. Back in June, Washington reimposed a travel ban targeting 19 countries over issues like weak passport vetting and high visa overstay rates. Zimbabwe was reportedly among several nations warned to fix those issues within 60 days or face consequences.
On top of that, the US recently introduced a controversial new program requiring visa applicants from Malawi and Zambia to pay bonds of up to $15,000 as a guarantee they’ll return home. That policy is set to kick in later this month.
While existing visa holders can still travel, those hoping to visit, study, or reunite with family in the US will now have to wait.
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The post US Temporarily Pauses Most Visa Processing in Zimbabwe appeared first on iHarare News.
