By Etienne Mainimo Mengnjo
The U.S. government, through its embassy in Yaoundé, Cameroon, has announced significant changes to visa procedures and fees. This announcement was made through a press release issued on July 9.
According to the embassy, these adjustments align with the U.S. government’s global efforts to tighten immigration requirements.
In addition to modifications in visa procedures and fees, changes have also been made to the validity periods and issuance fees for most visa classifications.
Key changes include Tourist, Business, Exchange, and Student Visas. Cameroonian citizens who successfully apply for these visas will now receive a single-entry, three-month validity visa.
The issuance fee has been significantly reduced to $35 (FCFA 19,613), down from $215, payable only if the visa is approved.
Temporary Work Visas are also included as these visas will also have a single-entry, three-month validity, with a reduced issuance fee of $45 (FCFA 25,000).
The embassy clarified that a U.S. visa allows the holder to travel to the United States until the visa’s expiration date. However, the authorized duration of stay is determined by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the immigration authorities encountered upon arrival.
Additionally, the embassy has indefinitely suspended the nonimmigrant visa interview waiver program. This program previously allowed some applicants with prior visas to apply without an in-person interview.
Consequently, all nonimmigrant visa applicants in Cameroon are now required to appear for an interview at the U.S. Embassy in Yaoundé.
The embassy remains committed to facilitating legitimate travel to the United States while upholding the integrity of its visa adjudication and issuance processes.
“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 press release states.
Moreover, applicants are advised to carefully review the established visa eligibility criteria before paying for an appointment. Conducting an objective self-assessment against these criteria can save time, effort, and money on visa applications that are likely to be denied.