The United States and Antigua and Barbuda announced a preliminary settlement that preserves existing visa access for Antiguan nationals, days after President Donald Trump’s executive order threatened to restrict all entry for citizens of the Caribbean nation.
The agreement ensures that Antigua and Barbuda nationals holding valid US visas as of December 31, 2025, will maintain entry privileges to the United States.
Sir Ronald Sanders, Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the United States, confirmed the arrangement covers all visa categories, including tourist, business, student, and exchange visitor classifications.
He said the US government also committed to refraining from revoking any visas issued to Antiguan citizens up until December 31.
Moreover, Sanders said that State Department officials had expressed surprise at the travel restrictions and indicated they had received no advance notice of its issuance.
Limited Relief From Broader Restrictions
The agreement is a partial reversal of Trump’s December 16 proclamation, which targeted Antigua and Barbuda, along with Dominica and others, for entry restrictions beginning January 1, 2026.
The executive order blocked nationals from both countries from obtaining immigrant visas and several nonimmigrant categories, including B-1 and B-2 visitor visas, F and M student visas, and J exchange visitor visas.
The settlement does not lift the underlying restrictions on new visa applications from Antiguan nationals after January 1, but rather preserves access only for those who secured visas before the deadline, indicating that future visa applicants will continue to face the limitations outlined in Trump’s December 16 proclamation.
Trump’s executive order cited Antigua and Dominica’s CBI programs as the justification for restricting the two Caribbean nations.
Antigua’s Physical Residency Requirement May Reach 90 Days
In a recent media interview, Antigua and Barbuda’s Consul General to Nigeria, Ambassador Williams Wallace, said Antigua is considering extending the physical presence requirement to qualify for citizenship to 90 days over five years, up from the current 30, pending negotiations with the US.
Wallace emphasized that the US action stems from “security vetting concerns, not politics,” and warned that unauthorized intermediaries offering passports outside official channels will attract scrutiny from US intelligence.
He speculated that the decision may have been influenced by a spike in visa applications from Antiguan passport holders, saying: “If, for example, you have only about 100 visa applications a year and suddenly you have 1,000, there is cause for concern.”
Moreover, he acknowledged that prolonged restrictions could damage the tourism-dependent Antiguan economy, but expressed confidence that diplomatic engagement would resolve the issue.
Antigua Disputes Trump’s CBI Characterization
Shortly after the executive order circulated last week, Prime Minister Gaston Browne rejected the administration’s characterization of Antigua’s citizenship program and expressed disappointment at the country’s inclusion in the restrictions.
Browne said the proclamation’s assertion that Antigua operates a CBI program without residency requirements does not reflect current law, noting that Parliament recently enacted legislation mandating a 30-day physical residency requirement for citizenship qualification.
Browne emphasized that his government engaged in good faith with multiple US departments over the past year to strengthen program safeguards and implemented practical suggestions to address security concerns.
Wider Immigration Policy Shift
While Antigua secured interim relief for US visa holders, Dominica continues to face the full scope of restrictions outlined in the December proclamation. Dominican officials said they’re consulting with the US officials to clarify the scope and implications of the limits for Dominican travelers, students, and families.
The December 16 proclamation expanded US entry restrictions to a total of 38 nations, adding five countries to the full entry ban: Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, Palestine, and Syria.
Fifteen countries, including Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe, joined Antigua and Dominica under partial restrictions. The restrictions apply to specific visa categories while allowing diplomatic and official travel to continue.
Trump specifically identified Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica as having historically operated CBI programs without residency requirements, seemingly distinguishing them from Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Saint Lucia, which operate similar programs but were not included in the restrictions.
