Antigua and Barbuda. From January 1, 2026, nationals of Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica and Haiti would either be 'fully' restricted or have 'limited' entry into the United States. Photo: Wallpaper Cave

US President Donald J. Trump said both Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica have 'historically had CBI [Citizenship By Investment] without residency' and that the entry into the United States of nationals of these two countries as immigrants, and as nonimmigrants on B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas, is hereby suspended. Photo: Jamaica Observer

Haiti. Citizens from Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen will be 'fully' restricted, as well as 'limit' their entry into the US. Photo: resortguides.com

This announcement was made by US President Donald J. Trump on Tuesday, December 16, 2025.

“It is the policy of the United States to protect its citizens from foreign nationals who intend to commit terrorist attacks, threaten our national security and public safety, incite hate crimes, or otherwise exploit the immigration laws for malevolent purposes.”

President Trump said that during his first administration, he had restricted the entry of certain foreign nationals into the North American country to prevent national security and public safety threats from reaching our borders.

He said that the Supreme Court upheld these restrictions and, as a result, he reinstated these policies in his executive order of January 2025.

CBI ‘susceptible to several risks’

Trump said both Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica have “historically had CBI [Citizenship By Investment] without residency” and that the entry into the United States of nationals of these two countries as immigrants, and as nonimmigrants on B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas, is hereby suspended.

He said consular officers shall reduce the validity for any other non-immigrant visa issued to nationals of Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica “to the extent permitted by law.

Trump said in its latest executive order justifying the action taken against the Caribbean countries that “as an example, a foreign national from a country that is subject to travel restrictions could purchase CBI from a second country that is not subject to travel restrictions, obtain a passport in the citizenship of that second country, and subsequently apply for a United States visa for travel to the United States, thus evading the travel restrictions on his or her first country.

“Additionally, United States law enforcement and the Department of State have found that, historically, CBI programmes have been susceptible to several risks. These risks include allowing an individual to conceal his or her identity and assets to circumvent travel restrictions or financial or banking restrictions,” he said.

Countries affected

Trump said as a result of his latest executive order, citizens from Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen will be “fully” restricted, as well as “limit” their entry into the US.

He said after accounting for the foreign policy, national security, and counterterrorism objectives of the United States, he has determined to “partially restrict and limit the entry of nationals” of Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Cote d ‘Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, The Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.