Caribbean governments operating citizenship by investment (CBI) programs are scrambling for answers after reports of the US placing them on a travel ban list.
Four Caribbean nations find themselves caught in diplomatic uncertainty following reports that the Trump administration may impose travel restrictions on their citizens.
According to The New York Times and Reuters, Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica, Saint Kitts & Nevis, and Saint Lucia appear on a “yellow list” in a draft proposal that would give them 60 days to address security concerns or face more severe limitations.
None of the affected governments have received official communication from Washington. “I want to assure the people of Saint Kitts & Nevis that your Government has received no formal or informal communication regarding the alleged U.S. travel restriction draft list,” Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew stated in response to the reports.
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“The Government of Saint Lucia is confirming that it has received no formal communication from the United States of America on media reports,” Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre wrote in a statement on March 15. The government’s embassy in Washington DC is “actively seeking clarification on this matter.”
Similarly, Roosevelt Skerrit, Prime Minister of Dominica, confirmed his government “has not received any official communication from the United States regarding a draft list of 43 countries recommended for visa restrictions.” Dominica has instructed its Ambassador to make “the necessary inquiries seeking clarification.”
The reported travel ban includes eight countries that operate CBI programs. According to the New York Times, US concerns could include “failing to share with the United States information about incoming travelers, purportedly inadequate security practices for issuing passports, or the selling of citizenship to people from banned countries.”
Antigua & Barbuda’s embassy promptly sent a formal note to the US Department of State on March 15. The note expresses “deep concern” while highlighting that Antigua “maintains a sanctions policy fully aligned with that of the U.S. Treasury in all financial matters.”
The government emphasized that its CBI program conducts rigorous vetting through international agencies, including INTERPOL.
Prime Minister Gaston Browne remains optimistic, arguing that “upon any objective analysis, it will be found that there is no reason to restrict travel from our country.”
The Saint Kitts & Nevis government pointed to its ongoing collaboration with US officials on reforming its CBI program.
Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew noted that a high-level meeting took place in January in the United Kingdom with senior US State Department and Treasury officials, after which a consultant began drafting “a sub-regional regulatory framework for CBI programs across the five Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States territories.”
The situation has created political tension in Saint Lucia, where the opposition United Workers Party is blaming the current administration for “reckless mismanagement” of the CIP, calling the situation “a national crisis that threatens our people’s ability to travel, do business, and maintain our country’s global reputation.”
All four Caribbean governments have promised to keep their citizens informed as they seek official information from Washington.
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Ahmad Abbas is the Editor of IMI Daily, IMI’s flagship news publication.
