Moving to the USA from Cameroon: Visas, Green Cards and Where to Apply

Cameroon is not among the 39 countries restricted by Proclamation 10998, which took effect on January 1, 2026. Cameroonians can apply for visitor, student, work, and E-2 visas.

Other 2026 changes do affect Cameroonians:

• Cameroon was also on the list of 75 countries whose immigrant visas were paused starting January 21, 2026. A federal court vacated that pause on August 21, 2026 (CLINIC v. Rubio), and the government has appealed, so the situation can still change.
• Since August 25, 2026, the State Department has paused immigrant visa interviews at US embassies and consulates worldwide while consular officers are trained on public charge reviews. Scheduled interviews were moved to later dates, and no restart date has been announced as of September 2026. Visitor, student, and temporary work visas are not part of this pause. Details: immigrant visa pause.
• TPS ended. The US terminated Temporary Protected Status for Cameroon. People who held it should see TPS terminations and speak to a licensed immigration lawyer about other options, such as asylum or family petitions.

For an overview of every route, see our guide to US immigration and how US immigration works.

Yes. Cameroon is not in the Visa Waiver Program, so you need a B-2 tourist or B-1 business visa. Complete the DS-160, pay the fee, and attend an interview in Yaounde. Bring proof of your job, income, family ties, and the purpose of your trip. The State Department's guidance is to apply for a visitor or other temporary visa at the US embassy or consulate in the country where you live. Applying elsewhere is possible but can make it harder to show you qualify.

E-2 investor visa. Cameroon's investment treaty with the US has been in force since 1989, so Cameroonian nationals qualify for the E-2 (not the E-1). You must invest a substantial amount in a real, operating US business that you develop and direct. Under the State Department's reciprocity table, E-2 visas for Cameroonians are issued for one entry with short validity, so expect to reapply for each trip.

Nurses. Many Cameroonian nurses move through EB-3 after passing the NCLEX-RN and getting a credentials review and a US employer. The final interview is an immigrant visa interview, so the worldwide freeze applies.

Students. Cameroon's bilingual (English and French) education system helps many students qualify for US universities. Since September 15, 2026, new F-1 students are admitted until a fixed date instead of for "duration of status", so you may need to file for an extension if your program runs longer. See F-1 fixed admission period.

H-1B. Since February 27, 2026, the H-1B lottery gives more entries to higher wage levels. A separate $100,000 fee on some new H-1B petitions (from a September 2025 proclamation) is being fought in court, with judges split as of September 2026. See H-1B $100k fee.

Family. Spouses, unmarried children under 21, and parents of US citizens have no annual cap. Siblings and married children wait many years. Cameroonians use rest-of-world dates in the Visa Bulletin.

Diversity Visa. Cameroon has been one of the more active DV countries in Africa, and Cameroonians were eligible for DV-2026. You need a high school education or two years of qualifying work experience. The Diversity Visa (DV) lottery is paused: visa issuance stopped on December 23, 2025, and DV-2027 registration never opened. See DV lottery paused.

The US Embassy in Yaounde handles all visa categories for Cameroon. Book appointments through the embassy's website and read our visa interview guide. If your case is refused under section 221(g), see administrative processing.

For immigrant visas, the State Department's Cameroon page lists:

• Police certificate: a standalone police certificate is not available. Instead, submit a Certificate of Non-Conviction (Extrait du Casier Judiciaire, Bulletin No. 3), which covers police, court, and prison records. It is issued by the Court of First Instance in the area where you were born. People from the English-speaking regions and the three northern regions can get it in Yaounde, and the Ministry of Justice in Yaounde can also issue it.
• Birth certificate: an Acte de Naissance from the civil status registration center where the birth was recorded. If a birth was not registered within the legal time limit, a court declaratory judgment of birth is needed.
• Marriage and divorce: a marriage certificate from the civil status center and a court divorce judgment.

French documents need certified English translations.

The largest Cameroonian community is in the Washington, DC area, especially Prince George's and Montgomery counties in Maryland. Other sizeable communities live in Houston and Dallas in Texas, the Atlanta area of Georgia, the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, and Los Angeles. Cameroonian cultural associations and churches often help new arrivals.