US cuts B-1/B-2 visa validity for Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica: 10 years replaced by 3 months

Dominica and Antigua and Barbuda residents are encountering stricter terms for travel to the United States. Updates shown in the US consular reciprocity tables indicate that visitor visas under the B-1/B-2 category for these countries will now be issued for a maximum period of 3 months. The change also introduces a single-entry approach, whereas earlier practice in some cases allowed validity of up to 120 months and made multiple trips possible.

At the same time, the adjustment is not applied uniformly across the entire Eastern Caribbean region. For example, in the reciprocity tables for Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Grenada, the older conditions remain reflected.

What is changing—and for which nonimmigrant visa categories

The reduction in “visa convenience” is not limited to short business or tourist travel. The reciprocity review also touches other nonimmigrant classifications. In particular, the new restrictions apply to the following visa types:

F-1/F-2 — academic study; J-1/J-2 — exchange programs and participation in approved activities; L-1/L-2 — intra-company transfers; R-1/R-2 — religious work and related activities.

Therefore, the updated regime influences a wider set of travelers from both countries, not only people planning brief visits.

Diplomatic visas keep the previous terms

Officials note that diplomatic categories A-1, A-2 and G-1–G-4 continue to be issued for up to 60 months and still permit multiple entries.

In addition, neither Antigua and Barbuda nor Dominica has a US visa arrangement covering E-1/E-2. Because of this, those categories are not directly part of the changes described in the reciprocity update.

Along with shorter validity, applicants may face a bond requirement up to $15,000

Limiting the duration is not the only reported modification. According to information circulating among applicants, the US Embassy in Bridgetown—which handles visa processing for Eastern Caribbean jurisdictions—is adding an additional condition for approved applicants under B-1/B-2. The requirement involves a bond of up to US$15,000. The final figure is set by a consular officer after the interview.

Given the end of the long-duration format, each trip may now require a more complete consular review. That is why the bond and the need to submit again within the visa process—through filing in Barbados—become especially important.

No official confirmation of a direct link to the December proclamation

As of the time of publication, there is no direct official statement from the US State Department confirming that the reciprocity update is causally connected to President Trump’s December 2025 proclamation. That document primarily addressed partial entry restrictions affecting 20 countries.

Still, reciprocity principles typically mirror how other governments establish visa rules for US citizens. However, because of overlapping timelines and parallel policy initiatives, it is difficult to separate a purely “visa-related” measure from broader developments in Washington.

For Antigua, there is a partial clarification: the US will consider visas issued before December 31, 2025. For Dominica, no comparable carve-out has been announced, and the restrictions are expected to apply fully beginning January 1.

Separately, on January 21, 2026, the Trump administration paused the review of immigration visas for 75 countries under criteria tied to the public charge concept. The list includes all five Caribbean states that operate citizenship by investment (CBI) programs—among them Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica.

Why the tightening may have been underway earlier

This latest round of rules does not appear to be a sudden, isolated step. In June 2025, a State Department memorandum placed four Caribbean jurisdictions linked to CBI programs on a draft travel ban list. They were granted 60 days to resolve concerns connected to passport validation and residency-related requirements.

Regional representatives publicly indicated readiness to undergo checks and implement reforms. For instance:

• Saint Kitts introduced mandatory residency requirements for CBI applicants.
• Antigua suggested a potential expansion of physical presence—from 30 days to 90 days across five years.

The December proclamation also foresees a reassessment every 180 days, meaning restrictions could theoretically be revised or lifted if screening and information-sharing practices improve. However, at present there is no visible sign of a rollback for Antigua and Dominica.

As of the publication date, Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica have not released public messages specifically addressing changes in consular reciprocity rules.

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