Harare Correspondent
HARARE, Zimbabwe – The United States Embassy in Zimbabwe has temporarily halted most routine visa processing, affecting tourist, business, student, and exchange visitor applications, according to a State Department memo.
What Visa Services Are Affected?
The suspension, effective immediately, applies to:
✔ B1/B2 (Tourist & Business) visas
✔ F1 (Student) visas
✔ J1 (Exchange Visitor) visas
However, official and diplomatic (C-3) visas will continue to be processed. Existing valid U.S. visas remain unaffected.
Why the Sudden Suspension?
A senior State Department official cited Zimbabwe’s 10.57% B1/B2 visa overstay rate—equating to 709 individuals—as a key reason. The U.S. also raised concerns over:
⚠ Student visa overstays
⚠ Zimbabwe’s refusal to sign a “safe third country” agreement (which would require asylum seekers to apply from transit nations)
“The administration is always working to prevent visa overstay and misuse,” the official stated.
Bigger Picture: U.S. Travel Restrictions
This move follows:
🔹 June’s reinstatement of the U.S. travel ban (affecting 19 countries, including Zimbabwe)
🔹 A 60-day compliance ultimatum issued to Zimbabwe (reported by The Washington Post)
🔹 A new pilot program requiring Malawian & Zambian applicants to pay refundable bonds (up to US$15,000)
So far, only Eswatini, Rwanda, and South Sudan have agreed to accept deported third-country migrants under U.S. terms.
Zimbabwean applicants must now wait for further updates. The U.S. Embassy has not specified when normal processing will resume.
Zim GBC News | Global News From An African Perspective©2025