WASHINGTON, DC — THE United States Government has issued a strong warning to 36 countries across Africa and the Caribbean urging them to meet key compliance benchmarks or potentially face travel restrictions.
The warning came to light over the weekend through a leaked internal memo, which indicated that these nations had failed to meet several requirements — including proper documentation protocols, managing visa overstays, addressing issues within their Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programs, and accepting the return of their citizens being deported from the U.S.
Initial reports suggested that the affected countries were given a deadline of Wednesday, June 18, to address the concerns or risk an outright travel ban. However, during a press briefing today (June 17), U.S. State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce clarified that the deadline was inaccurate.
"...they will have a considerable amount of time to rectify whatever the situation is that the State Department is determined is affecting the nature of our trust in how we issue a visa,” Bruce told reporters.
SKNVibes understands that while an official announcement regarding the proposed travel restrictions could be made as early as tomorrow, the leaked memo has already caused significant unease across the region — particularly since this marks the second time countries like St. Kitts and Nevis have been linked to possible U.S. travel sanctions.
Governments across the region have since pushed back, noting they have not received any formal communication from the U.S. State Department regarding potential sanctions or the reported list.
Speaking at the press conference, Bruce outlined the rationale behind the proposed measures, stating we are “committed to protecting our nation’s citizens by upholding the highest standards of national security and public safety through our visa process in particular. As laid out in President Trump’s Executive Order 14161, ‘Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats,’ the visa adjudication process has got to ensure that U.S.-bound foreign travelers do not pose a threat to the national security and public safety of the United States.”
She explained that the Department of State, along with other federal agencies, routinely evaluates the security infrastructure of foreign countries — including their ability to manage identity documentation, share vital security information, control visa overstays, and repatriate nationals ordered deported.
“...we rely on the vetting and the presentation of information from other nations in order to say yes, you can or you can’t come,” Bruce stated.
In a direct message to the countries on the list, Bruce emphasized that the Department is not immediately slamming the door shut, but rather offering an opportunity for corrective action.
“The Secretary will have the discretion to determine whether or not someone is on that list as we then also continuously vet the nature of what’s happening within these conversations, and the goal is so that we can all move forward, so that people can come to the country, and that’s our goal,” she added.
As of now, it remains unclear what official position St. Kitts and Nevis will take, especially given that no formal notice has yet been delivered to its embassies or diplomatic offices.
