The United States Embassy in Banjul has announced that it will stop providing routine visa services from 1 August 2026, with Gambian nationals and residents required to apply for U.S. visas through the U.S. Embassy in Dakar, Senegal.

The move does not mean the U.S. Embassy in Banjul is closing, but that routine visa processing will no longer take place there. Applicants seeking U.S. visas after the deadline will need to complete the process through Dakar.

What happens to existing appointments?

Applicants who already have visa appointments scheduled at the U.S. Embassy in Banjul should still attend on their assigned date and time.

However, the embassy has warned that:

• Appointments scheduled after 1 August 2026 will still be honoured.
• Applicants who have paid the Machine Readable Visa (MRV) fee but have not yet booked an appointment must schedule their appointment by 31 July 2026.
• After 31 July, applicants will no longer be able to schedule visa appointments through the Banjul system.

Those applying after 1 August 2026 will need to use the U.S. Embassy Dakar visa application process.

How does this connect to the U.S. partial visa suspension on The Gambia? 

The change comes amid an ongoing U.S. suspension of visa issuance affecting Gambian nationals.

The policy, introduced in 2026, is a partial visa suspension, meaning it does not prevent all Gambians from travelling to the United States. Instead, it affects specific visa categories, including many common travel purposes such as tourism, business, study and exchange programmes.

According to the U.S. government, the restrictions are linked to concerns including visa overstay rates and immigration compliance.

The affected categories include:

• B-1/B-2 visas — business and tourism;
• F visas — academic students;
• M visas — vocational and technical students;
• J visas — exchange visitors;
• Certain immigrant visa categories.

Who is not affected?

The partial suspension does not automatically affect everyone.

Generally, those already holding valid U.S. visas, lawful permanent residents (Green Card holders), certain diplomats and individuals who qualify for specific exemptions may not be subject to the same restrictions.

What does this mean for Gambian applicants? 

For many Gambians, the U.S. visa process has traditionally been handled through the U.S. Embassy in Banjul. The shift to Dakar means future applicants may need to plan for additional logistical arrangements, including travelling to Senegal for appointments if required.

The shift in visa processing comes amid existing U.S. restrictions affecting some visa categories for Gambians, creating additional hurdles for people seeking educational opportunities, business engagements, family reunification and other travel purposes in the United States.