Ezulwini – Emaswati and residents of the Kingdom seeking a United States visa will from August 1, 2026, no longer be able to apply at the US Embassy in Ezulwini and will instead have to travel to the US Consulate General in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The US Embassy in Eswatini confirmed the change, saying the US Department of State is realigning visa operations across Africa to regional hubs as part of a broader effort to strengthen national security through more uniform screening, vetting and adjudication standards, while also improving efficiency.
Eswatini is among 25 African countries affected by the realignment, alongside Madagascar, Nigeria, Eritrea, Mali, Gambia, Republic of Congo, Burundi, Guinea, Benin, South Africa’s Durban consulate, Sierra Leone, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Sudan, Gabon, Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique, Lesotho, Chad, Niger, Mauritania, Burkina Faso and Namibia. 
The US Embassy in Eswatini will continue to operate and provide American Citizen Services as well as limited non-immigrant visa services, but all routine visa processing, covering both non-immigrant and immigrant visas, will move to Johannesburg. This includes tourist and business visas, petition-based non-immigrant visas, family and employment-based immigrant visas, fiancé visas, diversity visas and adoption cases.
Applicants who have already paid their visa fee but have not yet scheduled an appointment are urged to do so before July 31, 2026, as fees will not be refunded. Those with existing appointments at the Mbabane embassy are advised to check their email for specific guidance on next steps.
Valid visas already issued are not affected by the changes.
