Saint Lucia, Other Caribbean Nations Seek Clarity From US on Reports of Proposed Travel Restrictions

The Government of Saint Lucia says it has received no official communication from the United States regarding the country’s placement on a list of nations whose citizens face possible travel restrictions, and it is “actively seeking clarification” on the matter.

This follows a New York Times report that a draft list detailing three tiers of countries that could face restrictions has Saint Lucia in a “yellow” category of 22 nations that would have 60 days to address perceived deficiencies or risk travel restrictions.

The proposal, which the newspaper said the State Department developed several weeks ago but could change by the time it reaches the White House, also includes a “red” list of 11 nations whose citizens would be flatly barred from entering the US, and an “orange” list of 10 countries for which travel would be restricted but not cut off.

In a brief statement from the Office of the Prime Minister, the Saint Lucia Government said it had not received any formal communication from the US on the matter.

“The Government of Saint Lucia and the Saint Lucian Embassy in Washington D.C. are actively seeking clarification on this matter,” it said. “The USA is a friend of Saint Lucia and remains a key partner in Saint Lucia’s development. We look forward to an even stronger relationship between our two countries.”

The government said it would provide updates on any official communications related to this matter.

St Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, and Dominica are also on the “yellow” list. The governments of St Kitts and Nevis and Antigua and Barbuda are also seeking clarification from the US on the news report about the proposed travel restrictions.

While no reason was given for the placement of countries in that category, the New York Times noted that the issues could include inadequate security practices for issuing passports, insufficient information-sharing on travellers, or the selling of citizenship to people from banned countries.

All the Caribbean islands on the list have Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programmes.

In its response, the St Kitts and Nevis government said that since August 2022, it has maintained open dialogue with the US government, particularly regarding reforms to its CBI programme. It further noted that in January, Prime Minister Dr Terrence Drew participated in a three-day multilateral meeting in the United Kingdom with senior officials from the US State Department and Treasury.

“This engagement, along with ongoing discussions, underscores the federation’s commitment to international cooperation and adherence to global best practices in the CBI sector,” the St Kitts and Nevis government said.

Antigua and Barbuda, which sent off a diplomatic note to the US State Department, also made mention of its CBI programme, stressing that it does not accept applications from individuals originating from countries on a US banned list. It also noted that all applicants undergo rigorous vetting by recognised international agencies, including INTERPOL, to ensure that no one with a criminal background or current charges, including terrorism, is considered.