US tightens visa acquisition for Cameroonians.

The change, announced Tuesday, marks a significant shift in the US visa reciprocity arrangement with Cameroon and comes as part of a broader effort by the US government to align global visa standards with its immigration and security protocols.

The development, which also affects other African countries, including Nigeria, and Ghana, has drastically reduced the validity period of most visitor and student visas to three months and requiring all applicants to undergo in-person interviews.

In a statement published Tuesday, the US Embassy in Yaounde wrote that: “Effective immediately, and in keeping with the US Government’s global efforts to tighten US immigration requirements, the US Embassy Yaoundé is revising its visa procedures, as well as the validity periods and issuance fees for most visa classifications”.

It said Cameroonian citizens who successfully apply for a tourist, business, exchange, or student visa are now issued a single-entry, a three-month validity visa, with a significantly reduced issuance fee of $35, a circa 19,550 FCFA (down from $215, an equivalent of 120,096 FCFA), to be paid if the visa is approved. 

The embassy said temporary work visas now also have a single-entry, three-month validity, with a reduced issuance fee of $45, a circa 25,136 FCFA.

“A US visa permits the visa holder to travel to the United States up until the visa’s expiration date. The traveler’s authorised duration of stay in the United States is distinct from the visa validity and is determined by US Customs and Border Patrol,” the statement explained.

The document continued that: “In addition, the Embassy is suspending indefinitely the nonimmigrant visa interview waiver programme that allowed some visa applicants who had had prior visas to apply without coming to the Embassy for an interview. Henceforth, all nonimmigrant visa applicants applying in Cameroon are now required to appear for an in-person interview, at the US Embassy in Yaounde”.

Despite the restrictions, the Embassy said it remains committed to facilitating legitimate travel to the United States, while maintaining the integrity of its visa adjudication and issuance process. 

“We strongly encourage all applicants to visit the Embassy’s website at https://cm.usembassy.gov/ for detailed procedural information and to schedule a visa interview accordingly,” the statement said, adding that: “Applicants should also carefully review the legally-established visa eligibility criteria prior to paying for an appointment to try to assess objectively whether they are likely to qualify for the desired visa under US law. Doing an objective self-assessment against the legal criteria will save applicants time, effort, and money on a visa application that is likely to be denied”.

Before now…

It should be said that before Tuesday, most Cameroonian travelers could receive US visitor visas valid for up to two years, with multiple entries. 

Under the new policy, the validity is cut to three months, single-entry, and the issuance fee is reduced to about 35 dollars.

Additionally, the visa interview waiver programme has been suspended. This means that everyone applying, even those renewing, must now appear in person for an interview.

For many Cameroonians, the policy risks creating hardship, particularly for students, businesspeople, and family members who frequently travel between the two countries.

Education stakeholders have warned that universities in the US could see a drop in enrollment for Cameroonians, given the inconvenience and cost of reapplying every few months.

Business leaders say it could hurt trade and discourage investment trips. 

Some Cameroonians in Yaounde and Douala, have expressed frustration at what they have described as collective punishment.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3500 of Friday July 11, 2025