Antigua and Barbuda worked out a deal with the United States over new travel limits. The country's ambassador to the U.S., Ronald Sanders, stated that current valid American visas held by their citizens will remain fully functional. This includes common visa types for tourists, business travelers, and students. No visas issued before the end of the year will be canceled.
The agreement comes after a U.S. proclamation restricted entry for nationals from several countries. That order specifically named Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica, citing security worries linked to their citizenship by investment programs. The rule aimed to suspend new immigrant visas and certain non-immigrant categories.
Ambassador Sanders met with State Department officials to address the proclamation's effects. He confirmed that only applications for fresh visas submitted after the new year will face different procedures. Those new steps will involve updated biometric data collection to match U.S. systems, applying to all Antiguans and Barbudan passport holders regardless of how they gained citizenship. The ambassador thanked U.S. authorities for their cooperative approach, reiterating his nation's commitment to American security concerns while protecting normal travel for its people.
The agreement comes after a U.S. proclamation restricted entry for nationals from several countries. That order specifically named Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica, citing security worries linked to their citizenship by investment programs. The rule aimed to suspend new immigrant visas and certain non-immigrant categories.
Ambassador Sanders met with State Department officials to address the proclamation's effects. He confirmed that only applications for fresh visas submitted after the new year will face different procedures. Those new steps will involve updated biometric data collection to match U.S. systems, applying to all Antiguans and Barbudan passport holders regardless of how they gained citizenship. The ambassador thanked U.S. authorities for their cooperative approach, reiterating his nation's commitment to American security concerns while protecting normal travel for its people.
