U.S. Considers Blocking Visas For Ghana And 24 African Nations Due To Immigration Worries

The U.S. government is reportedly considering imposing visa bans and expanded travel restrictions on citizens of Ghana and 24 other African countries. This move comes on the heels of last week’s travel restrictions placed on seven African nations and reflects a broader tightening of the Trump administration’s immigration policy.

According to The Washington Post, a memo signed by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was circulated to American diplomats in the affected countries on Saturday. The document outlines immigration and security concerns and places 36 nations under review for potential sanctions—25 of which are in Africa.

The African countries under scrutiny include Nigeria, Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Non-African nations on the list are Antigua and Barbuda, Bhutan, Cambodia, Dominica, Kyrgyzstan, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Syria, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.

The memo highlights several factors behind the proposed restrictions: weak identification systems, poor cooperation in verifying identities, frequent document fraud, high rates of visa overstays, and concerns about individuals involved in anti-American or antisemitic activities.

It also criticizes countries that offer citizenship without residency requirements and urges governments to accept the return of deported third-country nationals or negotiate “safe third country” agreements to reduce immigration risks.

Countries on the list have been given a 60-day deadline to meet specified benchmarks to address these concerns. They are also required to submit an initial action plan by 8 a.m. on Wednesday to avoid the imposition of visa sanctions.

The United States🇺🇸 is considering restricting entry or imposing visa bans to citizens of an additional 25 African countries including significant U.S. partners such as Egypt and Djibouti, other countries such as Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Ghana, Senegal, Ethiopia, #DRC,… pic.twitter.com/6QZB0EW2vs

— Kennedy Wandera (@KennedyWandera_) June 15, 2025

Source: Nkonkonsa.com