US says Zimbabweans must apply for visas in SA; allow social media access for vetting

By Staff Reporter

HARARE: Zimbabweans seeking travel to the United States (US) must apply for visas across the border in South Africa and allow access to their social media profiles to facilitate vetting.

This was confirmed in a notice issued by the US embassy in Harare on Monday.

“Nationals of countries where the U.S. government is not conducting routine non-immigrant visa operations must apply at a designated embassy or consulate, unless their residence is elsewhere,” reads the notice.

“For Zimbabweans resident in Zimbabwe, you must apply at the United States Consulate in Johannesburg, South Africa.

“Zimbabwean applicants not resident in Zimbabwe must apply for a visa in their country of residence and be able to demonstrate residence in the country where they are applying.”

Access to the social media profiles of applications will also be required for purposes of vetting.

“Effective immediately, all individuals applying for an F, M, or J non-immigrant visa are requested to adjust the privacy settings on all their social media accounts to ‘public’ to facilitate vetting necessary to establish their identity and admissibility to the United States under U.S. law.”

Last month the US government stopped processing most visas in Zimbabwe until further notice, citing unspecified concerns with the Harare administration.

“We have paused routine visa services in Harare while we address concerns with the Government of Zimbabwe,” the embassy said at the time, describing the measure as temporary and part of the Trump administration’s efforts to “prevent visa overstay and misuse”.

The notice issued Monday said the suspension remained in place.

“The U.S. Embassy in Harare, Zimbabwe, continues its pause on all routine immigrant and non-immigrant visa services except for most diplomatic and official visas.

“The Department of State is committed to protecting our nation and our citizens by upholding the highest standards of national security and public safety through our visa processes, preventing overstay and visa misuse.”