The United States Capitol in Washington, DC at dusk

Can South Africans Still Get a US Visa After the September 2026 Restrictions?

September 21, 2026 DiginamiX Comments Off

Correct as at 21 September 2026. Checked against US Department of State, US Mission to South Africa and US court records, and against named news reports where no official notice exists.

South Africans can still apply for and receive US visas. The visa restriction the US Secretary of State announced on 15 September 2026 is aimed at specific people the US links to certain South African laws and policies, not at South African passport holders in general. Tourist, business, student and work visa applications continue at the US consulates in Johannesburg and Cape Town. The change more likely to affect South African families is a separate, worldwide pause on immigrant visa interviews, which is delaying green card cases processed through US embassies and consulates.

In short

The 15 September 2026 policy restricts visas for people the US considers responsible for, or complicit in, laws or policies the US links to uncompensated land seizures, race-based discrimination or incitement of violence in South Africa. It does not name anyone.
South African passport holders are not subject to a general US visa ban. South Africa is not among the 39 countries named in the US entry proclamation that took effect on 1 January 2026.
Visitor, student and temporary work visas are still being processed for South Africans at Johannesburg and Cape Town.
Immigrant visa interviews at US embassies and consulates have been postponed worldwide while consular officers are trained on public charge screening, according to a State Department official quoted by the Associated Press. Processing resumed for Hungary and Poland in early September, and no general restart date had been announced by 21 September 2026.
Durban stopped offering routine visa services on 1 August 2026, so South African applicants now book at Johannesburg or Cape Town, with immigrant visas handled in Johannesburg.

What the United States announced

On 15 September 2026, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a new visa restriction policy under Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. That section allows the Secretary of State to make inadmissible, and so refuse a visa or entry to, any person whose entry “would have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States”.

The statement links the policy to Executive Order 14204, “Addressing Egregious Actions of the Republic of South Africa”, and says the South African government has not adequately addressed the concerns set out in that order. The South African government has rejected the allegations.

Who the restriction applies to

The policy targets foreign nationals the US says are responsible for, or complicit in, the enactment or implementation of laws or policies that, in the State Department’s words, “enable uncompensated land seizures, race-based discrimination, and/or the incitement of imminent violence against members of minority ethnic or racial groups in South Africa”. The statement adds that certain family members may also be covered. People the US decides fall within the policy can have visa applications refused or existing visas revoked.

The statement does not name any individual, and it does not suspend visas for South African citizens as a group. Reporting on the announcement, including by TimesLive, has described it as aimed at some South African officials. The wording itself is not limited to government officials, the US has not published a list of affected people, and the US Ambassador to South Africa has described the policy as the first step in a series of further measures.

What it means for travellers and students

For most South Africans planning a holiday, a business trip or a course of study in the United States, the application process is the one that applied before 15 September. You still complete the DS-160 form, pay the application fee, attend an interview in Johannesburg or Cape Town unless you qualify for a renewal without one, and wait for the consular decision.

Vetting has also tightened since mid-2025. Student and exchange visitor applicants have been instructed since June 2025 to set their social media accounts to public so consular officers can review their online presence, and the instruction now also covers several work and other categories, including H-1B, H-3, Q and R visas. Consistency matters, because what you declare on the DS-160 can be checked against what officers can see. Our USA visa page covers the visitor visa process, and our guide to US visa interviews in Johannesburg and Cape Town explains how appointments work.

A South African passport and boarding pass held at an airport counter

The worldwide pause on immigrant visa interviews

This is the change most likely to affect South African families. The State Department has not published a formal notice, but an official told the Associated Press in late August 2026 that immigrant visa interviews had been paused while consular officers are trained on public charge screening. The official said the pause began in early August and was not expected to last beyond early to mid-September. Affected interviews are being rescheduled, and no general restart date had been announced when we checked on 21 September.

Reports differ on whether every immigrant visa category is affected, and Diversity Visa interviews are being rescheduled under a US court order. Reports indicate the pause does not affect tourist, business, student or temporary work visas, or green card applications made from inside the United States.

Processing has restarted in places. Reuters reported on 8 September 2026 that immigrant visa processing had resumed for Hungary and Poland while the pause continued elsewhere. Nothing has been published for South Africa.

It is a worldwide measure. South Africans are affected because they apply through the same system, not because of anything specific to South Africa.

What has not changed for South Africans

Several US measures introduced in 2025 and 2026 do not apply to South African passport holders, and they are often confused with the September announcement.

The entry proclamation. Presidential Proclamation 10998, in force since 1 January 2026, suspends or limits entry and visa issuance for nationals of 39 countries. South Africa is not one of them.
The visa bond programme. Since August 2026 the State Department has run a permanent programme under which visitor visa applicants from a published list of countries can be required to post a bond before a visa is issued. South Africa is not on that list.
The 75-country immigrant visa suspension. In January 2026 the State Department suspended immigrant visa issuance for nationals of 75 countries on public charge grounds, and on 21 August 2026 a federal court in New York vacated the policy in CLINIC v. Rubio. The government has appealed, but South Africa was not on the list either way.

Where South Africans apply now

On 1 August 2026, the State Department moved routine visa services out of a number of African posts, including the US Consulate General in Durban, to regional hubs. Johannesburg and Cape Town are the hubs in South Africa, so applicants who would have used Durban now book at one of those two posts. Immigrant visas for South Africa are processed in Johannesburg. The US Mission also asks nonimmigrant visa applicants to book in their country of residence or nationality.

Travellers walking through an airport terminal at sunset

What to do if you are planning US travel

Policy is moving quickly, so a few habits reduce the risk of an avoidable problem.

Apply early. Interview waits in Johannesburg and Cape Town change with demand, so check the latest published figures in our interview guide before you set a travel date. A refusal or a request for more information also costs time you may not have.
Book flexibly. Avoid non-refundable flights and accommodation until your visa is issued.
Be consistent. Check that nothing in your DS-160, travel history or public online presence contradicts anything else in your application.
Watch for rescheduling if you are immigrating. If you had an immigrant visa interview booked, watch for rescheduling instructions from the consulate and keep your documents current while you wait.

How Prestige Solutions can help

Our visa assistance service covers work, study and travel visas across more than 75 destinations, including the United States. For a US application we confirm the right visa category, help you complete and check your DS-160 and supporting documents, and prepare you for the interview.

Prestige Solutions prepares your application; the US Department of State decides the outcome and the processing time.

Frequently asked questions

Has the US banned visas for South Africans

No. The September 2026 policy restricts visas for people the US considers responsible for, or complicit in, certain South African laws and policies. South African citizens as a whole are not subject to a US visa ban, and applications continue at Johannesburg and Cape Town.

Will my existing US visa be cancelled

The 15 September announcement does not cancel visas held by South Africans in general. People the US decides fall within the policy can have visa applications refused or existing visas revoked. A visa is permission to travel to a US port of entry, and US border officers decide whether to admit you when you arrive.

Can I still visit the US on holiday

Yes, you can still apply. South Africans apply for B1/B2 visitor visas in the usual way, including the DS-160 form and, in most cases, an interview in Johannesburg or Cape Town. The consular officer decides each application.

Does the change affect student visas

The September announcement does not. Separately, since June 2025 student and exchange visitor applicants have been instructed to set their social media accounts to public so consular officers can review their online presence.

What happens to green card applications

Immigrant visa interviews at US embassies and consulates have been postponed worldwide while consular officers are trained on public charge screening. Processing resumed for two countries in early September, and nothing has been announced for South Africa. If your interview was postponed, watch for rescheduling instructions from the consulate, and keep your documents, including your medical examination, current in the meantime.

Is the US consulate in Durban still issuing visas

Not for routine visa applications. Since 1 August 2026, Durban provides services to US citizens and only limited visa functions, and South African applicants book routine visa appointments at Johannesburg or Cape Town. Immigrant visas for South Africa are processed in Johannesburg.

Is South Africa on the US travel ban list

No. South Africa is not among the 39 countries named in Presidential Proclamation 10998, which took effect on 1 January 2026.

Start your US visa application

If a US trip is on your calendar, tell us your travel date and the purpose of your visit. We will confirm the right visa, give you an honest read on the timing and send you a document list built for your situation.

WhatsApp 067 814 9534, call +27 11 568 0827 or email info@prestigesolutions.co.za. Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 17:00.

Sources

Checked on 21 September 2026.

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