The United States has temporarily suspended the issuance of visas to Burundian nationals, citing repeated violations of visa regulations.
The announcement was made by the U.S. Embassy in Burundi on Monday, August 4, with officials warning that non-compliance with immigration rules could have national consequences.
“Respecting visa rules isn’t just personal, it is national,” the embassy stated in a message posted on X. “Sadly, due to repeated violations, U.S. visas for Burundians are temporarily banned. Let us uphold the rules, because one person’s actions can close doors for an entire nation.”
Although the embassy did not specify the nature of the violations, a 2024 report by U.S. authorities revealed that more than 15 percent of Burundian nationals overstayed their visas. By contrast, Chad recorded a 49 percent overstay rate, while Japan had just 0.15 percent.
The decision follows a partial visa ban imposed in June on Burundi and six other countries under U.S. immigration policies implemented during the administration of former President Donald Trump. In addition, an outright travel ban was placed on nationals from 12 countries, many of them among the most impoverished in Africa, sparking criticism over the legal and humanitarian implications.
As part of the restrictions introduced in June, Burundian visa applications for education and medical purposes were already suspended.
A senior official in Burundi’s government, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that discussions were ongoing to resolve the issue and expressed hope that the U.S. would soon lift the restrictions.
Countries currently facing a full travel ban include the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Somalia, and Sudan. Trump-era executive orders justified these bans on the grounds that some countries lacked the institutional capacity to verify travel documents or posed a high risk of visa overstays.
While the Biden administration has reversed some Trump-era immigration restrictions, others remain in place, particularly where U.S. authorities cite security or compliance concerns.
