BREAKING: US Slaps New Visa Restrictions on Antigua and Barbuda, Effective January 1
Antigua and Barbuda has been listed among countries facing new United States entry restrictions under a proclamation signed by US President Donald Trump on December 16, 2025, with the measures scheduled to take effect at 12:01 a.m. on January 1, 2026.
In the proclamation, the US government argues that the restrictions are part of a broader national security and public safety policy aimed at strengthening screening and vetting in the visa process and limiting entry from countries it considers to have risk factors or information-sharing deficiencies.
For Antigua and Barbuda, the proclamation specifically points to concerns related to Citizenship by Investment (CBI), stating that the country has historically offered CBI “without residency,” which Washington says can complicate identity verification and screening. The proclamation also raises broader concerns about individuals potentially using alternative passports to bypass restrictions imposed on their original nationality.
What the proclamation says for Antigua and Barbuda
Under the section addressing Antigua and Barbuda, the proclamation states that entry to the United States will be suspended for Antiguan and Barbudan nationals seeking:
• immigrant visas, and
• nonimmigrant visas in the B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J categories.
It also directs consular officers to reduce the validity of other nonimmigrant visas issued to Antiguan and Barbudan nationals to the extent permitted by law.
Who may still be exempt
The proclamation outlines exceptions, including lawful permanent residents of the United States, and dual nationals traveling on passports from countries not listed under the restrictions.
Certain diplomatic and official visa categories are also exempt, along with some special circumstances such as participation in major international sporting events and other case-by-case national interest waivers.
The proclamation indicates that the restrictions apply to nationals who are outside the United States on the effective date and who do not have a valid visa on that date.
Regional implications
Antigua and Barbuda is not the only Caribbean nation mentioned. Dominica is also listed under similar partial restrictions, with the proclamation likewise referencing CBI-related concerns.
The policy is expected to draw attention across the region, particularly in countries with CBI programmes, as governments and affected nationals assess what the updated US measures may mean for travel, study, family-based migration, and business links with the United States.
Details can be viewed below:
This story was first published by Antigua News on December 16, 2025: antigua.news/2025/12/16/breaking-us-slaps-new-visa-restrictions-on-antigua-and-barbuda-effective-january-1. © 2025 Antigua News. Republication without permission is not allowed.
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Comments (16)
Antigua Surf December 16, 2025, 6:56 PM
Janillia December 16, 2025, 7:37 PM
Luc declercq December 16, 2025, 8:32 PM
Let them pay extra to visit those beautiful islands
Praying for Antigua December 16, 2025, 8:37 PM
Think logically December 16, 2025, 9:54 PM
The Ghost December 17, 2025, 11:31 PM
I vexxxxxxxxx December 16, 2025, 7:50 PM
Wadadlian December 31, 2025, 12:03 AM
The Prime Minister speaks of “security concerns” as if they are abstract policy issues. They are not. They are rooted in real, unresolved scandals that his government has buried under silence. Chief among them is the unexplained arrival of over 1,000 West African nationals into Antigua under suspicious circumstances — many without visas and allegedly promised onward access to the United States. This was not a clerical error; it was a national security breach.
Even more disturbing is the reported involvement of the Prime Minister’s close associate, Olabanjo, who was present at the airport to receive a flight that arrived outside normal airport operations. To this day, neither Olabanjo nor the Prime Minister has accounted to the nation for what happened next. The whereabouts of these individuals remain unknown, except for the 17 who died horrific deaths at sea while allegedly being smuggled out of Antigua. The captain of the capsized vessel has never been apprehended. No serious investigation. No accountability. Just silence.
This is the kind of conduct that convinces powerful nations that Antigua and Barbuda has become a liability in global border security. No amount of diplomatic posturing or empty talk about “consultative mechanisms” can erase that reality. The EU does not distrust Antigua by accident — it distrusts a government that has proven itself incapable of controlling its own borders or policing its own programmes.
Under Gaston Browne, the CBI programme has become dangerous, discredited, and corrosive to the country’s international standing. It is not “vital” in its current form — it is reckless. And it will never be trusted again unless there is a fundamental overhaul of Antigua and Barbuda’s nationality laws, including ending the reckless expansion of citizenship and tightening birthright nationality provisions.
If this government insists on continuing CBI, then it must raise fees, impose iron-clad vetting, and stop pretending that a purchased Antiguan passport should grant visa-free access to countries that clearly no longer trust this administration’s judgment. CBI citizens should apply for visas using their country of birth — full stop.
The Prime Minister got it catastrophically wrong with the United States, and ordinary Antiguans are paying the price. He is now about to get it wrong again with Europe. His leadership has turned Antigua and Barbuda from a trusted small state into a security concern.
This is not diplomacy gone wrong. This is leadership gone wrong.
Heeebs from Parham December 16, 2025, 8:00 PM
Anonymous December 17, 2025, 12:30 AM
Apex Jones December 16, 2025, 8:06 PM
Anonymous December 17, 2025, 1:14 PM
Informed citizen December 16, 2025, 10:01 PM
Lena December 16, 2025, 11:17 PM
Donna December 17, 2025, 8:15 AM
We here in Antigua and Barbuda need to start to vote for citizens and country not political parties. When choosing a government, we need to think “What benefits is to citizens and the country”.
Another thing, what would happen to people who already have a valid U.S. Visa? Would they be restricted from entering the United States?
Jim December 18, 2025, 12:11 PM