U.S. Embassy Visa Pauses in Juba, Kinshasa, and Kampala: What African F-1 Students Must Do Now

U.S. embassy visa services are paused in Juba, Kinshasa, and Kampala — here is exactly what South Sudanese, Congolese, and Ugandan F-1 students must do to protect their status and find an alternative path forward.

You came to the U.S. to study. You built your network, passed your courses, and maybe started OPT. Then you opened your email and found a notice that the U.S. Embassy near your family — in Juba, Kinshasa, or Kampala — has paused visa services. Now you're wondering whether you can travel home for a summer break, a family emergency, or a job interview, and whether you'll be able to get back in.

The short answer is: the situation is manageable, but the margin for error is small. Students from South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Uganda are now navigating a landscape where home-country stamping is off the table and third-country options require careful research and lead time. This guide walks through what happened, what your actual options are, and the specific steps to take right now — before you book a flight or make any assumptions about your visa situation.

What happened and when

Effective May 18, 2026, the U.S. State Department implemented a temporary pause of visa services at three U.S. embassies in sub-Saharan Africa:

• U.S. Embassy Juba — South Sudan
• U.S. Embassy Kinshasa — Democratic Republic of Congo
• U.S. Embassy Kampala — Uganda

The pause covers all nonimmigrant and immigrant visa categories, which means F-1 student visas are included. American Citizens Services (ACS) functions remain operational at these posts for U.S. passport and emergency consular services, but visa appointment scheduling — including student visas — has stopped.

No resumption date has been officially announced as of publication. The State Department's travel.state.gov page for each post is the authoritative source for updates.

This pause is separate from, but related to, the broader immigration environment of 2026. Approximately 39 countries face full or partial U.S. entry and visa suspensions that took effect around January 1, 2026. Whether South Sudan, DRC, or Uganda are included in that 39-country list is something your Designated School Official (DSO) and an immigration attorney can confirm against current advisories — the May 18 embassy pause is an additional layer on top of that landscape.

Who is directly affected

You are directly affected by this pause if any of the following describe your situation:

• You are a South Sudanese, Congolese, or Ugandan national and your F-1 visa stamp has expired or will expire before your next planned return to the U.S.
• You are currently on OPT or STEM OPT and were planning to travel internationally.
• You are still enrolled in a U.S. program, your I-20 is valid, but your visa stamp expired while you were in the U.S. (which is entirely normal — you only need an active stamp to re-enter, not to maintain status inside the U.S.).
• You are outside the U.S. and were planning to obtain or renew your F-1 stamp at the Juba, Kinshasa, or Kampala embassy before returning for a new academic term.

If your visa stamp is still valid and you have no travel plans that require a new stamp, your immediate F-1 status inside the U.S. is unaffected by the pause. An expired stamp inside the U.S. does not constitute a status violation — your status is maintained by your valid I-20 and SEVIS record.

The third-country stamping path

Since home-country stamping is currently unavailable, students who need an F-1 stamp must apply at a third-country U.S. consulate. This is a real, established process — the State Department has long allowed visa applicants to apply at any U.S. post worldwide, subject to each post's policies and appointment availability.

Key third-country posts to research

The following posts have historically been accessible to African student applicants and are worth investigating for appointment slots. Availability changes constantly; treat this list as a starting point, not a guarantee.

Research each post at travel.state.gov before committing. Some posts have explicit policies on whether they accept third-country national applicants (most do, but a few restrict appointments to local residents). Call or email the post's NIV (Nonimmigrant Visa) unit directly to confirm before booking flights.

What the third-country process looks like step by step

1. Talk to your DSO first. Get a travel signature on your I-20 if you are still enrolled. If you are on OPT, verify your EAD and I-20 OPT endorsement are current. Your DSO can also advise on whether USCIS or your SEVIS status has any flags that could complicate a visa interview.
2. Identify your target consulate. Use the State Department's appointment scheduling system (ceac.state.gov) to compare wait times across posts. Select the post where you can realistically get an appointment within your travel window.
3. Complete your DS-160. The DS-160 nonimmigrant visa application is the same form regardless of which post you apply at. Accuracy is critical — inconsistencies between your DS-160, I-20, and SEVIS record are a primary cause of additional administrative processing (221g).
4. Pay the visa application fee (MRV fee). The fee is country-specific but typically in the range of $185 USD. The fee is paid before your appointment and is non-refundable. Confirm the correct amount and accepted payment method for your chosen post.
5. Gather your documents. See the required document checklist in the next section.
6. Attend your visa interview. Be prepared to explain your program, your financial support, and your ties to your home country (demonstrating intent to return after your studies or OPT ends).
7. If approved: You receive your passport with the new F-1 visa stamp. Return to the U.S. using the stamp before its expiration date. Your I-20 and SEVIS status — not the stamp itself — define your lawful status once you are inside the U.S.
8. If issued a 221g: You will receive a form requesting additional documents or administrative processing. See our guide on 221g administrative processing and timelines for how to respond and what to expect.

Required documents for an F-1 visa interview

Bring originals and copies of all of the following:

• Valid passport (must remain valid at least six months beyond your intended period of stay)
• DS-160 confirmation page
• MRV fee payment receipt
• Valid I-20 signed by your DSO (travel signature on page 2 must be dated within the last 12 months for enrolled students, or within the last 6 months for OPT students)
• EAD card if you are on OPT or STEM OPT
• SEVIS fee payment receipt (Form I-901) — typically from your original application
• Admission letter or enrollment verification from your U.S. school
• Financial documents proving you can support yourself in the U.S. (bank statements, sponsor letters, scholarship award letters)
• Transcripts or academic records
• Evidence of ties to your home country

Timing and travel decisions

The biggest mistake students make in this situation is booking flights before understanding their stamping lead time. Third-country appointments at popular posts like Nairobi or Accra can book out weeks or months in advance, and processing times after the interview vary.

If you are currently inside the U.S.

You do not need to take any immediate action to maintain F-1 status. Your status is valid as long as your I-20 is current and you are maintaining your full course of study (or authorized OPT employment). The embassy pause does not affect you while you are inside the U.S.

However: if you are considering summer travel or any international trip, you need to plan your stamping strategy before you buy a ticket. See our detailed guide on travel considerations for F-1 students during the 2026 consular processing environment.

If you are currently outside the U.S.

This is the more urgent situation. If you are currently outside the U.S. and your F-1 stamp has expired, you need a new stamp before re-entering. Your options are:

• Apply at a third-country consulate (see above)
• Request an emergency or expedited appointment if your circumstances qualify (family emergency, imminent program start)
• Contact your DSO immediately — some schools can provide documentation supporting an expedite request

If travel delays are making your return to campus impossible, speak to your DSO about options. Depending on your program dates and the nature of the delay, your DSO may be able to defer your program start or arrange a leave of absence — but do not assume; get specific guidance for your school's policies.

The Advance Parole question

If you have a pending adjustment of status application and are on Advance Parole, the rules differ significantly. Travel on Advance Parole during a pending green card case is its own risk analysis. Read our guide on Advance Parole, travel, and visa stamping for students before making any decisions.

Consular scrutiny in 2026

The 2026 immigration environment has raised the overall level of scrutiny at F-1 visa interviews globally. Officers are examining ties to home country, financial documentation, and academic progress more carefully than in prior years. This is especially true at third-country posts that were not previously the primary post for South Sudanese, Congolese, or Ugandan applicants.

Two things you can do to strengthen your interview:

First, be completely consistent. Your DS-160, your I-20, your SEVIS record, and your verbal answers at the interview must all align perfectly. If your major changed, if your program end date was extended, or if your enrollment status changed at any point, make sure your I-20 reflects current information before the interview. An outdated or inconsistent I-20 is a leading cause of 221g delays.

Second, demonstrate your program commitment and ties. Be ready to explain what you are studying, where you are in your program, what your academic progress looks like, and what you plan to do after your authorized period of stay in the U.S. ends. Officers are looking for intent to comply with F-1 status conditions.

For students from Nigeria navigating similar stamping challenges, our guide on H-1B visa stamping in Nigeria (Lagos and Abuja) covers the Lagos and Abuja consulate landscape and documents patterns that apply to African applicants broadly.

What about the broader 39-country suspension?

As noted above, approximately 39 countries face full or partial U.S. entry and visa suspensions that took effect around January 1, 2026. This is a distinct policy from the May 18 embassy service pause. Whether your passport country is on that list has direct implications for your ability to obtain a visa stamp at all — not just at which post you apply.

Your DSO and an immigration attorney are the right people to consult on this. The interaction between the 39-country suspension, the embassy service pause, and your individual visa eligibility is not a question to answer based on general internet research alone. See also our overview of the 39-country entry suspension and how it affects F-1 students for a broader analysis.

Common mistakes

These are the errors that cause real, sometimes irreversible, problems for students in this situation:

• Traveling internationally without a valid visa stamp and assuming you can "figure it out" from abroad. You cannot re-enter the U.S. on an expired stamp. If you leave, you must stamp before returning. Do not travel without a confirmed stamping plan.
• Waiting to contact your DSO. Your DSO is your first line of guidance. They have dealt with consular disruptions before and can help you document your situation for USCIS or the embassy if needed. Contact them proactively, not after a problem has developed.
• Booking a third-country appointment without confirming the post accepts third-country applicants. Some posts restrict their appointment system to residents of the local country. Confirm policy before paying for flights.
• Letting your I-20 expire while waiting for the embassy situation to resolve. If your program end date is approaching and you are not graduating, request an extension from your DSO before the I-20 expires. An expired I-20 is a status violation; the embassy pause does not excuse it.
• Assuming the embassy pause will resolve quickly. No official end date has been announced. Build your plan around the possibility that services do not resume for an extended period.
• Ignoring the 221g risk. If you apply at a third-country post and receive a 221g for administrative processing, your passport and travel documents may be held for weeks or months. Factor this into your timeline if you have program start dates or OPT employment commitments.
• Traveling on OPT without checking the unemployment clock. If you are on OPT, time spent outside the U.S. does not stop the 90-day unemployment clock from running. Extended third-country stamping delays can consume authorized OPT period. Understand the interaction before you travel.

Frequently asked questions

When did visa services pause at the U.S. embassies in Juba, Kinshasa, and Kampala?

The temporary pause of visa services at the U.S. embassies in Juba (South Sudan), Kinshasa (DRC), and Kampala (Uganda) took effect on May 18, 2026. This includes student (F-1) visas. The State Department has not announced a resumption date, so you should monitor travel.state.gov and check with your DSO regularly.

Can I still travel outside the U.S. if my F-1 visa stamp has expired and I am from one of these three countries?

Traveling outside the U.S. when your F-1 stamp is expired and you cannot obtain a new stamp at your home-country embassy is a serious risk. If you leave, you must obtain a new F-1 visa stamp at a third-country consulate before re-entering. Many posts have limited appointment availability. Talk to your DSO before booking any international travel.

What is a third-country visa appointment for F-1 students?

A third-country visa appointment means you apply for your F-1 visa stamp at a U.S. consulate in a country other than your home country. For example, a Ugandan student might apply at the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya or Accra, Ghana. Appointment availability, required documents, and wait times vary by post, so research each location carefully before booking.

Does the broader 39-country entry suspension affect South Sudan, DRC, or Uganda?

As of the facts verified for this article, 39 countries face full or partial U.S. entry and visa suspensions that took effect approximately January 1, 2026. Whether South Sudan, DRC, or Uganda fall within those 39 is a question your DSO and an immigration attorney can confirm by checking the current travel.state.gov advisories. The embassy service pause on May 18, 2026 is a separate, additional development that affects F-1 visa stamping at the home-country post regardless of entry suspension status.

Should I apply for a travel signature from my DSO before considering third-country stamping?

Yes. Your DSO must issue a valid travel signature on your I-20 before you travel internationally. Travel signatures are typically valid for one year for continuing students and six months for students on OPT. Confirm the signature is current and matches your program information before you make any appointment at a third-country consulate.

The pause in Juba, Kinshasa, and Kampala is a real disruption, but it does not close the door. Students who plan carefully — who contact their DSO early, research the right third-country post, and time their travel with the stamping process fully understood — can navigate this. The students who run into serious problems are those who assume it will work out without planning or who wait until they are already outside the U.S. to start thinking about it.

If you want help thinking through your specific situation — whether that's building a job search strategy that accounts for your consular timeline, or understanding how your visa situation intersects with OPT, STEM OPT, or H-1B planning — F1Jobs works with African international students navigating exactly these circumstances.