The U.S. Department of State has officially announced a temporary pause on all visa services at three U.S. Embassies in East and Central Africa, effective May 18, 2026.
Here’s what you need to know:
The embassies affected are in Juba, South Sudan; Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo; and Kampala, Uganda. According to the State Department, the suspension is directly tied to the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the region.
What does this mean for you?
If you have a visa appointment scheduled at any of these three embassies, your appointment will not move forward until further notice. There is currently no confirmed timeline for when services will resume. We strongly recommend reaching out to your respective embassy and keeping a close eye on dos.gov for the latest updates.
Who should pay attention?
This impacts anyone currently in the visa application process for travel to or from South Sudan, the DRC, or Uganda — whether you’re a student, a worker, a family member waiting on a loved one, or a traveler with upcoming plans in the region.
Stay informed. Stay prepared.
Situations like this can change quickly. Follow this page for real-time updates as this story develops, and drop your questions in the comments below — we’ll do our best to keep you updated.
Source: U.S. Department of State | dos.gov
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