The United States has ended routine visa services at its Embassy in Juba and shifted visa processing for South Sudan to regional centres, with Kampala, Uganda designated as the processing hub.
The change took effect on August 1, 2026, as part of a broader restructuring of U.S. visa operations across Africa that affects 25 diplomatic posts.
Under the new arrangement, South Sudanese and eligible residents seeking routine U.S. visas must apply through the designated regional processing location. Applicants may need to travel to Kampala for visa interviews and other required procedures, depending on the type of visa being sought.
The U.S. Department of State said the realignment is aimed at strengthening security screening, standardising visa adjudication and improving the efficiency of consular services.
The changes do not mean the U.S. Embassy in Juba is closing. The embassy will continue operating and providing American Citizen Services, while some limited non-immigrant visa services remain available.
The State Department has designated 20 locations across Africa as regional visa hubs, including Kampala, Nairobi, Addis Ababa, Kigali, Nairobi, Accra, Addis Ababa and Johannesburg.
The move means South Sudanese applicants who previously completed routine U.S. visa processing in Juba will now have to plan for additional travel and related expenses when applying for eligible U.S. visas.
The U.S. government advises applicants from countries affected by the realignment to schedule appointments and pay the required visa fees through the designated processing location for their country of residence or nationality.
The visa-services restructuring is part of a wider U.S. effort to consolidate routine consular operations into regional hubs while maintaining diplomatic and citizen-services operations at affected embassies.
