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4 Caribbean islands face potential US visa restrictions

-Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica, Saint Kitts & Nevis & Saint Lucia all operate CBI Programs
June 17th, 2025 | Tags: USA Visa travel ban Caribbean nations CBI Program
According to a leaked State Department memo, four Caribbean islands- Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia- are being considered for inclusion as part of the United States travel ban policy’s expansion. Photo: Internet Source
The United States views the Citizenship by Investment Program being operated by Caribbean nations as potential loopholes for individuals from already-banned countries to gain entry using secondary passports. Photo: Internet Source
The United States views the Citizenship by Investment Program being operated by Caribbean nations as potential loopholes for individuals from already-banned countries to gain entry using secondary passports. Photo: Internet Source
Caribbean leaders worry that restrictions could devastate their tourism industry, which is vital to their economies. Photo: Internet Source
Caribbean leaders worry that restrictions could devastate their tourism industry, which is vital to their economies. Photo: Internet Source
WASHINGTON D.C., USA- According to a leaked United States (US) State Department memo, four Caribbean islands, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia, are being considered for travel restrictions as part of the US' travel ban policy expansion.

A VI Consortium (VIC) article on June 15, 2025, said the proposed restrictions, which could mark the largest single expansion of U.S. visa limitations in recent history, have sparked alarm among affected nations, travellers, and advocacy groups, while raising questions about diplomatic fallout and economic impacts.

The leaked memo, first reported in The Washington Post and Reuters this past weekend, outlines a tiered system of restrictions aimed at addressing perceived national security risks, inadequate identity documentation, high visa overstay rates, and lack of cooperation on deportation agreements.

CBI operating islands

These four Caribbean islands all have one major thing in common: they operate Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programs. Some of these programs have been in existence for over three decades. 

The U.S. reportedly views these programs as potential loopholes for individuals from already-banned countries to gain entry using secondary passports, a concern that has fueled the proposed restrictions, the VIC article said. 

According to reports, Caribbean leaders have expressed surprise and concern. They noted a lack of formal communication from the U.S. government. 

Antigua and Barbuda’s embassy in Washington sent a diplomatic note on March 15, 2025, expressing deep concern about the reports requesting clarification. 

The note also stressed Antigua and Barbuda’s alignment with U.S. Treasury sanctions policies and rigorous vetting for its CBI program.

According to Prime Minister Gaston Browne, there is no treason to restrict travel” from Antigua and Barbuda. 

Saint Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew highlighted ongoing reforms to the country’s CBI program, while Saint Lucia’s Prime Minister Philip Pierre and Dominica’s leadership echoed these sentiments. 

33 other countries are being considered

The leaked memo also lists thirty-three other countries up for consideration including, ngola, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, South Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. 

Countries on this new list, including the four Caribbean nations, have a 60-day window to meet stringent U.S. vetting and cooperation standards or face full or partial entry bans.

On a June 4, 2025, a presidential proclamation imposed full or partial travel bans on 19 countries, including Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. 

Caribbean & African nations targeted

Critics, according to the VIC article, including civil rights organisations, argue the policy disproportionately targets African and Caribbean nations, echoing criticisms of the 2017 Trump-era travel ban, which faced legal challenges before being upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018. 

Twenty-five African nations are under review, including Nigeria, Egypt, and Ghana.

For the Caribbean region, leaders worry that restrictions could devastate their tourism industry, which is vital to their economies.

However, the State Department noted that the list is a draft, subject to change before reaching the White House. 

It was called a review in a March 17 statement from spokeswoman Tammy Bruce. 

“A review is not a ban,” Antigua and Barbuda’s ambassador, Ronald Sanders, said.

19 Responses to “4 Caribbean islands face potential US visa restrictions”

  • WOWO (17/06/2025, 16:20) Like (13) Dislike (7) Reply

    The US is a 5h!& hole compare to the rest of the world and more people are waking up to that realization, they sell a dream and an impression that the reality can never live up to.

  • okay (17/06/2025, 17:41) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    Hmmn
  • Madussa (17/06/2025, 19:59) Like (21) Dislike (4) Reply
    It was White American people who stormed the Capitol Building and wreaked havoc. No Caribbean or African countries were involved in that, but it was okay because they were homegrown traitors. The U.S.A. needs to be banned from traveling to these same countries that they banned. There is an entire world that people can visit and have a wonderful time vacationing. What is so great about America when they are breeding hatred and separation?
  • (17/06/2025, 20:04) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    Shameless
  • Rich bullies (17/06/2025, 22:20) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    Obama said to the Caribbean Nations, you cant have financial services stick to tourism. Now Trump pulls the plug on tourism. Wholesale discrimination by wealthy nations as the gap between the 1% and dire poverty grows.
    • @rich bullies (18/06/2025, 06:23) Like (12) Dislike (0) Reply
      Dem in their country they can do what they want. BVI should do the same thing and protect their own.
  • Hmmmmm (17/06/2025, 22:55) Like (5) Dislike (6) Reply
    The Caribbean islands should strike back and ban Americans from coming to their paradise but we won’t do that cause of greed. I call on all leaders put restrictions on the Americans.
  • Micky Dee (18/06/2025, 00:06) Like (14) Dislike (1) Reply
    When are we all going to realize they do not like people of color, especially brown and black folks up there
  • UK benefits (18/06/2025, 00:20) Like (12) Dislike (3) Reply
    Luckily we under UK right guys? Oh wait...y'all wanna change that my bad
  • The other side... (18/06/2025, 05:28) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    This could be a response to the fact that people who may not ordinarily be allowed visa entry into America through their country of origin could simply purchase a Caribbean passport and enjoy the US entry benefits attached to it. One may argue that this presents a national security risk to the US if a weak vetting process is employed. If the preservation of international relationships was a factor of consideration, then of course the US could instead utilize a more diplomatic approach by agreeing a mutual vetting agency that satisfies US background checking standards as part of the Caribbean CBI application process. Antigua has already pushed back by confirming that their vetting process is in fact very rigorous and does in fact meet US standards.

    So this leaves one to consider if possibly this act to restrict US travel is simply an attempt to take out the caribbean competition so that more persons would consider America's citizenship by gold card option which, in itself, is not a novelty but merely a more exhorbitant version of the Caribbean's offerings. Instead of the $100,000 investment (or what's not) required for Caribbean citizenship (providing access to US travel and other benefits), one would consider a whopping $5million investment for the US citizenship by gold card program. By putting a $5million price tag on US citizenship, this policy inadvertently made the Caribbean CBI programme more appealing, even to those who could afford the $5mil otherwise. It also provided plenty of room for the Caribbean to raise their investment threshold to, for example, $250,000 and still be very competitive compared to what the US has on offer. So what does the US do to fix their unintended "error"? Threaten to devalue those Caribbean nations' passports by completely restricting their access to the US, which would inadvertently devalue their CBI programme. A seemingly rash, juvenile, petty and bullyish move.
  • So? (18/06/2025, 06:52) Like (35) Dislike (3) Reply
    These 4 island nations should just place similar restrictions on US citizens who visit these islands. Even Americans are security risks these days.
  • Citizen (18/06/2025, 07:05) Like (28) Dislike (1) Reply
    Tell the US keep their visas and shove them where the sun don't shine
  • Citizen (18/06/2025, 07:08) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply

    You all don't get it? America is a B!$%h.

  • Rubber Duck (18/06/2025, 07:57) Like (1) Dislike (7) Reply
    Free the drew rip West Bank
  • home boy (18/06/2025, 09:00) Like (8) Dislike (3) Reply
    Some of you is talking stupid stuff,if these 4 islands ban US citizens from entering their countries,they will take a financial blow, they really on tourism and a lot of there visitors are from America,so stop the nonsense,all of you want to go to the US .
  • Caribbean Smarter. (18/06/2025, 09:48) Like (11) Dislike (0) Reply
    Trump and America copying the success of these Islands CBI programme, he teying to kill it..while implemwnting their own CBI 0ne mullion $$ 0rogramme. Now I am ceetain that trump is really racist..
  • He who have ears (18/06/2025, 15:49) Like (2) Dislike (2) Reply
    A lot of the people who get citizenship by investment from these countries, don't even live, have businesses or set foot in these countries . They buy the passport to get to travel to countries that would give them difficulties to enter that country. Most of the people who buy the passport are from Islamic countries, which are a security risk to the US. So it is understandable why they would want to put visa restrictions on these Caribbean countries who sell their passport.


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