US Embassy Suspends Visa Services for 12 Days, Issues Fresh Directive to Affected Applicants
- The US Embassy in Accra has suspended visa processing for 12 days because of scheduled maintenance work
- The embassy has rescheduled affected visa appointments and issued fresh guidance for applicants during the temporary closure
- Limited passport collection has remained available on selected dates, while most consular services stay suspended
The United States Embassy in Accra, Ghana, has announced a temporary suspension of visa processing and most consular services as it prepares to carry out scheduled maintenance at its Consular Section.
The announcement was made on Wednesday, July 15, through the embassy's official X account, @USEmbassyGhana.
Source: Original
Consular section to close for nearly two weeks
According to the embassy, the Consular Section will be closed to the public from July 20 through July 31, 2026.
During the period, visa applications and other routine consular services will not be processed.
"The Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Accra will be temporarily closed to the public from July 20 through July 31, 2026, for scheduled maintenance," the embassy said.
It also said it would be "unable to process visas and other consular services, except in life-or-death emergencies."
The embassy did not give further details about the maintenance work.
Visa appointments rescheduled
Applicants with visa appointments during the closure will not need to book new appointments themselves.
The embassy said it had already rescheduled all visa appointments that were due to take place between July 20 and July 31.
"The Embassy has rescheduled all visa appointments that were to take place during this period," the notice read.
No new dates for the rescheduled appointments were included in the announcement.
Passport collection to continue on two days
The embassy also announced limited services for people whose travel documents are ready for collection.
Source: Twitter
Applicants who have received an email confirming that their passport or Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA) is available for pickup can visit the embassy on July 23 or July 30.
Document collection will be available only between 1:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. on both dates.
Apart from emergency cases and the scheduled document pickups, all other consular services will remain unavailable until the Consular Section reopens after the maintenance period.
US visa suspension: 4 things to know
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the United States suspended all visa processing at its embassies in South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Uganda due to the ongoing Ebola outbreak.
The suspension affects both immigrant and nonimmigrant visas, including tourist, student, business, and exchange visitor applications. No new appointments will be available until the embassies resume normal operations.
Applicants whose interviews were cancelled will not receive refunds, but their visa application fees will remain valid for 365 days from the payment date. Existing valid US visas remain unaffected and can still be used under their current terms.
UAE visa suspension: 4 key things to know
Legit.ng previously disclosed that the United Arab Emirates suspended the issuance of new visas for citizens of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan as part of measures to prevent the spread of Ebola.
The restrictions also affect travellers arriving from the three countries, including those who transit through other countries before travelling to the UAE. Authorities said the measures could be extended depending on the public health situation.
Travellers who have spent more than 21 consecutive days outside the affected countries before arriving in the UAE are exempt from the restrictions. Cargo operations and transit flights through UAE airports will continue without disruption.
Source: Legit.ng
