HARARE, Aug 20 (Reuters) – The United States has stopped processing most visas in Zimbabwe until further notice, its embassy in the capital Harare said on Wednesday, citing unspecified concerns with the government.<\/p>\n
“We have paused routine visa services in Harare while we address concerns with the Government of Zimbabwe,” the embassy said in a post on X. It said the move was not a travel ban and that current visas would remain valid.<\/p>\n
Sign up here.<\/a><\/p>\n The government of the Southern African country did not immediately reply to a request for comment.<\/p>\n The pause took effect on August 7, according to a notice on the U.S. State Department’s website, which said it applied to all visa services with the exception of most diplomatic and official visas.<\/p>\n U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has restricted travel from a number of African countries, saying it is working to prevent visa overstaying and misuse.<\/p>\n Zimbabwe had a visa overstay rate of 10.57% in 2023, according to a U.S. Department of Homeland Security report.<\/p>\n Starting this week, the U.S. will require visa applicants from Zambia and Malawi to pay bonds of up to $15,000<\/a> for some visitor visas. The Trump administration has also paused visa processing in Niger<\/a>.<\/p>\n Harare resident Angella Chirombo said her 18-year-old son had received a scholarship to do his bachelor’s degree at Michigan State University and had been waiting for a visa interview when the pause hit.<\/p>\n “He was supposed to be in school already. I paid for everything else and was waiting for the visa so I could buy tickets,” she told Reuters.<\/p>\n She said other parents were considering booking interviews at other U.S. embassies in Southern Africa, but that she wouldn’t be able to afford the travel.<\/p>\n “Now they are saying we can go to Zambia and Namibia. I don’t even have money right now and I don’t know where to get this money. They are so many students that have been affected.”<\/p>\n Reporting by Chris Muronzi and Nellie Peyton; editing by Mark Heinrich<\/p>\n Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab<\/a><\/p>\n