ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA · Policy & practice
Antigua passport holders: US visitor visa restrictions and bonds
For Antigua and Barbuda passport holders, visa restrictions must be assessed before any bond requirement. Existing visas, new applications and exceptions involve different conditions; payment cannot substitute for eligibility.
Check the proclamation’s scope and effective-date conditions for existing visas. New applications require a restrictions review before any bond instructions.
Antigua and Barbuda appears on both the US list of nationalities subject to partial visa suspension and the visa-bond list. The first question is whether a restriction applies to the individual. A bond concerns a visitor-visa applicant who is otherwise eligible; it is not a way around a suspension.[1][2]
This explanation reflects the official pages checked on 10 October 2026. It concerns business and tourist visitor visas, rather than separate immigrant-visa suspension measures.
Existing visas: check the effective-date conditions
Presidential Proclamation 10998 applies to people who were outside the United States when it took effect at 12:01 a.m. EST on 1 January 2026 and did not hold a valid visa at that time. The State Department says people holding valid visas on the effective date are outside its scope; visas issued earlier are not revoked solely under that proclamation.[1]
Checking whether someone has a visa today is therefore insufficient. Establish its validity at the relevant time, where the person was and whether the visa remains valid for travel. Protection from this proclamation does not displace other applicable rules.
A visa permits travel to a US port of entry to request admission. Customs and Border Protection makes the admission decision.[3]
New applications: restrictions and exceptions come first
The partial suspension listed for Antigua includes B-1, B-2 and B-1/B-2 visitor visas, subject to limited exceptions. One listed category covers dual nationals applying with a passport of a nationality not subject to suspension. A national-interest exception can also involve an individual determination.[1]
A second nationality requires assessment of the passport actually used and the applicant’s circumstances. It should not be treated as evidence that all requirements have already been met.
A person subject to the proclamation may still submit an application and book an interview. The appointment does not establish eligibility for issuance or admission.[1]
Separate the published bond amounts from an instruction to pay
The bond page, updated on 2 October 2026, records an implementation date of 21 January 2026 for Antigua. For applicants travelling on a listed-country passport who are otherwise eligible for a B1/B2 visa, it publishes bond levels of US$10,000, US$15,000 or US$20,000. The amount is determined at the interview.[2]
- Threshold question
- Resolve the applicable restrictions and eligibility first.
- Amount
- Follow the consular instruction for the case; the applicant does not select a tier.
- Payment
- Submit Form I-352 only when directed, using the Pay.gov link supplied through consular instructions.
- Effect
- A bond does not guarantee issuance. Unsolicited payment may not be refundable.
A bond is distinct from an adviser’s service fee. Check the notice, form and payment destination against the official instruction rather than treating a transfer to another website as compliance.[2]
Travel arrangements and refunds have their own conditions
The current page requires bond holders to enter and leave through commercial air ports of entry, including CBP preclearance locations. Charter flights, general aviation, land and sea ports are excluded.[2] This can affect the itinerary.
A refund depends on compliance with the bond and immigration conditions and on the official arrival and departure records. Non-use before visa expiry and compliant departure are among the situations addressed, each with conditions. An immediate refund after returning home should not be assumed; consult the complete current rules and the signed form.[2]
Put the checks in the right order
Identify the nationality and passport to be used; establish visa status and location at the proclamation’s effective time; assess restrictions and exceptions for a new application; and, if instructed, check the bond amount, payment process and travel conditions. Finally, verify the validity of the documents for the intended journey.
Complete these checks before making inflexible travel commitments. Lists, amounts and exceptions can change, so revisit the State Department pages before applying and travelling.
Official sources
This article provides general information, not individual legal, tax or investment advice. Applicable rules and the competent authority’s assessment govern each case.