Visa: The United States expands its restrictions to five new African countries.

The U.S. authorities have expanded, since January 1, 2026, their restrictive measures against several African countries as part of their immigration policy.

Among the newly targeted nations are the Central African Republic, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Namibia and Botswana, according to official information released recently.

This decision is part of an update to the rules governing entry to the United States issued by the State Department. It imposes stricter visa requirements on these nationals, including the obligation to provide a financial guarantee between $5,000 and $15,000, as well as in-person interviews with U.S. consular services.

Applicants must also provide several years of history of their social media activity and extensive details about their past travels and stays.
According to the U.S. government, these new requirements aim to strengthen the monitoring of migratory flows and detect potential threats to domestic security.

The requested deposit does not guarantee visa approval: it is refunded if the application is refused or if the holder complies with the visa conditions after entering the country.

In total, about twenty African countries are now on lists subject to visa restrictions of various kinds, whether related to deposit rules, reinforced interview conditions, or access limitations.

In some cases, total entry bans have been applied, notably for nationals of Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan and Sierra Leone, under the United States’ overall immigration policy.

These measures have already sparked reactions on the continent, with some African countries recalling the principle of reciprocity in visa issuance.
The restrictions are part of a broader move by the U.S. administration to strengthen immigration controls, which also include social-media verification checks and mandatory interviews for visa applicants, regardless of nationality.

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