ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) — The Antigua and Barbuda government is stepping up its diplomatic efforts to get the United States (US) to review its visa restriction and visa bond programme as they affect Antiguans and Barbudans.

Under the programme, the US State Department said visa bonds may be required from certain business/pleasure (B1/B-2) visa applicants who are nationals of countries with “high overstay rates, deficient information sharing, insufficient identity verification and criminal records, and that need improvement in the area of screening and vetting and the security of travel and civil documents, including in the granting of citizenship.”

The policy requires certain B-1/B-2 visa applicants to post financial bonds ranging from US$5,000 to US$20,000 as a condition of entry

Last week, the Gaston Browne administration said it was asking US President Donald Trump to review the measures affecting Antiguan and Barbudan nationals under Presidential Proclamation 10998, related to visa restrictions and the permanent visa bond programme.

At the same time, Antigua and Barbuda’s Embassy in Washington submitted a diplomatic note to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio seeking an early review of the country’s continued inclusion in the measures.

On Monday, Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the United States, Sir Ronald Sanders, delivered a diplomatic note to Rubio, requesting an early review of the measures.

Browne said that the diplomatic note forms part of his administration’s continuing engagement with the United States at the highest levels.

“Our Government has consistently responded in good faith to concerns raised by the United States and has taken practical measures to address them. We believe it is now appropriate for those actions to be recognised through an early review of the restrictions that continue to affect our citizens,” Browne said.

“Our objective remains the further strengthening of the long-standing friendship and cooperation between Antigua and Barbuda and the United States.”

The diplomatic note refers to the recent publication by the United States Department of State of the final rule establishing the permanent visa bond programme that initially affects Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica and Grenada in the Caribbean Community (Caricom) area. It points out that Washington has explained that the programme is intended to encourage foreign governments to strengthen cooperation with the United States in areas including information sharing, identity verification, screening and vetting, and document security and compliance with United States immigration requirements.

The diplomatic note advises Rubio that Antigua and Barbuda has responded positively and constructively to those objectives by implementing a series of measures to address concerns previously raised by the United States.

“St John’s submits that the publication of the final rule provides an appropriate opportunity for the Department of State to assess whether those objectives have now been substantially achieved in relation to Antigua and Barbuda and whether the country’s continued inclusion in the visa bond programme and the related visa measures remains necessary,“ a statement issued by the Antigua and Barbuda Embassy in Washington said.

“The government has therefore respectfully requested Secretary Rubio to undertake an early review of those measures. The Government believes that having responded positively to the concerns previously expressed by the United States and having substantially achieved the objectives identified by the Department of State in its final rule, Antigua and Barbuda’s continued inclusion in the current measures warrants an early review.“

The Gaston Browne Administration said it was asking US President Donald Trump to review the measures affecting Antiguan and Barbudan nationals.