The United States Embassy in Tanzania announced on January 8, 2026, that, effective January 1, 2026, it has temporarily suspended the issuance of certain visas to Tanzanian citizens, following U.S. President Donald Trump’s Executive Order No. 10998. The measure affects a range of visa categories, including non-immigrant and immigrant permits.
Visa Suspensions and Exceptions
In its official statement, the embassy clarified: “Pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 10998, effective January 1, 2026, the United States has suspended the issuance of certain visas to Tanzanian citizens.” The suspension covers visas previously issued for family visits, tourism, medical treatment, short-term professional engagements, and conferences. Additionally, visas for students and trainees attending academic or professional programs, as well as immigrant visas for relocation to the United States, are temporarily halted.
Certain categories of Tanzanians remain eligible for U.S. visas. These include green card holders, individuals traveling for international sporting events, dual nationals, and Tanzanians employed by U.S. government institutions. The embassy emphasized that visas issued before January 1, 2026, at 12:01 p.m. remain valid, and new applications will be reviewed under the updated regulations.
The Executive Order, which came into effect on January 1, 2026, restricts visa access for citizens of 39 countries, citing concerns over document integrity and security screening. The U.S. government highlighted that some countries, including Tanzania, lack reliable systems for collecting, storing, and verifying identity data, which could allow individuals who pose security threats to obtain visas.
Additional measures include enhanced visa screening, such as evaluating applicants’ social media activity and reviewing certain visas previously issued. “We will review the affected countries every six months to assess improvements in data-sharing and security measures,” the U.S. Embassy stated. The review could result in the restoration of visa services for compliant countries.
The current list of affected nations largely includes African countries such as Tanzania, Burkina Faso, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Mali, Niger, Sierra Leone, and Somalia, alongside other nations like Yemen, Afghanistan, Haiti, Iran, and Libya. The U.S. has noted that the list may be expanded if additional countries are found to fall short of visa security standards.
