President of the USA of America, Donald Trump, confirmed the extension of the journey ban and restrictions imposed on greater than 30 international locations.
Two small Caribbean states –Antigua and Barbuda And Dominica– had been added this week to the up to date record of nations going through the USA partial entry restrictionsincreasing a coverage that was already included Cuba And Haiti among the many affected Caribbean international locations.
The prolonged restrictions are anticipated to return into impact January 1, 2026beneath a presidential proclamation that the White Home framed as a nationwide safety measure geared toward screening, vetting and knowledge alternate.
Underneath the proclamation of December 16 Haiti stays topic to a whole suspension of accession dates again to the June 2025 proclamation, whereas Cuba stays topic to partial restrictions that the administration continued. The brand new change for the area is the addition of Antigua and Barbuda And Dominica– each of which implement citizenship-by-investment packages – into the partially restricted class.
Journey ban fundamentals: what a ‘full’ versus ‘partial’ restriction means
The proclamation attracts a pointy line between them full suspensions And partial suspensions. Usually, an entire ban suspends entry for each immigrant and non-immigrant journey, whereas partial restrictions sometimes droop entry (and issuance of visas) for sure visa courses and require stricter restrictions for others.
The authorized foundation cited by the administration is the president’s authority beneath U.S. immigration regulation to droop entry of international nationals deemed “detrimental” to U.S. pursuits, and the proclamation notes that the Supreme Court docket beforehand upheld related restrictions.
Operationally, the brand new restrictions should not supposed to retroactively cancel journey for anybody related to a listed nation. The scope outlined within the Authorities and Immigration Tips emphasizes that the principles typically apply to nationals who’re exterior the USA on January 1, 2026 And you don’t have already got a sound visa on that date; current visas won’t be mechanically revoked simply due to the proclamation.
The Caribbean on the record: Haiti, Cuba, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica
For Caribbean vacationers, the headline is that the coverage now impacts a number of elements of the area in numerous methods:
Haiti (full ban class): The December proclamation explicitly names Haiti as one of many international locations whose nationals proceed to face a full suspension of entry, carried over from June 2025.
Cuba (partial restriction class): Cuba stays one of many international locations topic to ongoing partial restrictions.
Antigua and Barbuda (new partial restriction): The proclamation specifies that entry will probably be suspended for searching for Antiguan nationals visas for immigrants and several other main non-immigrant classes, together with B-1/B-2 (enterprise/tourism) And F/M/Y (scholar and alternate) visas, with orders to cut back the validity of different visa varieties the place permitted.
Dominica (new partial restriction): Dominica is handled equally, with the identical set of visa classes particularly named for suspension and lowered validity tips for different visas.
Why these two islands had been added: a more in-depth take a look at citizenship per funding
Not like many international locations talked about for terrorism dangers, battle or overstay, Antigua, Barbuda and Dominica are talked about within the proclamation for a unique motive: Citizenship-by-Funding (CBI) packages with out historic residency necessities. The White Home proclamation explicitly marks this concern for each international locations.
Nevertheless, Caribbean officers have reversed this premise. Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne mentioned the federal government was “deeply upset” by the inclusion of his nation on the mentioned CBI rationale. The identical report notes that Antigua not too long ago moved so as to add one necessary bodily residence requirement and says it has engaged US companies to strengthen safeguards.
Dominica’s authorities has taken a extra measured public stance, saying it’s urgently searching for readability on the scope and impression on vacationers, college students and households and searching for to interact U.S. authorities by the embassy channel.
This transfer can be notable for what it failed to attain: different Caribbean international locations with related CBI fashions, akin to Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis and Saint Lucia– weren’t included within the December proclamation, in line with studies concentrating on the funding migration trade.
Broader context: fast enlargement and the political arguments surrounding it
On the nationwide degree, the enlargement is a part of a broader enlargement of U.S. entry restrictions: the administration has added new international locations to the record of full bans whereas increasing the record of partial restrictions. Reuters described the White Home reasoning as concentrating on international locations with “severe shortcomings in screening, vetting and knowledge alternate.”
Critics say the coverage is just too broad and dangers separating households and disrupting legit journey. In Washington Put up reporting, #AfghanEvac President Shawn VanDiver condemned “the usage of tragedy as a political cudgel to justify insurance policies that can separate households.”
What vacationers ought to watch subsequent
For vacationers from affected Caribbean international locations, the sensible questions are much less about tourism headlines and extra about documentation: whether or not you might be already in possession of a sound visa, which visa class you intend to make use ofand whether or not any categorical exceptions or waivers apply. Immigration regulation corporations and tutorial mobility organizations have indicated that the primary set off is usually the onset of a migration disaster exterior the US on the efficient date and not using a legitimate visaand that twin nationals could possibly journey with a passport from a non-designated nation.