US visa rule threatens African contestants at Miss Universe 2026 with some girls withdrawing

News

By Linda Ikeji
15 November 2026, 8:14 am

Zambia and the Republic of the Congo have withdrawn from the seventy fifth Miss Universe pageant after their contestants have been unable to safe permission to journey to Puerto Rico.

Representatives from Zimbabwe and South Sudan are nonetheless awaiting selections forward of the ultimate on 24 November.

Puerto Rico is a US territory, so contestants travelling there are topic to US immigration necessities. Nigeria can be affected by partial US entry restrictions, however its consultant, Danielle Adewusi, arrived in San Juan on 9 November and has joined the preliminary actions.

Miss Universe Zambia mentioned it withdrew its consultant, Mubanga Pamela Hatyoka, after efforts to safe the required journey authorisation have been unsuccessful. The organisation attributed the withdrawal to US journey restrictions affecting Zambia and mentioned it didn’t replicate any failing on the a part of Hatyoka or the organisers. Hatyoka, a 25-year-old registered nurse, received the nationwide title in October.

Georgina Kambongo was attributable to turn out to be the Republic of the Congo’s first Miss Universe contestant. The nation’s organisers mentioned she was unable to acquire permission to journey and attributed her withdrawal solely to the US restrictions.

Zimbabwe’s consultant, Roseanna Hall, mentioned she had made repeated visa functions and held consultations whereas pursuing the method from South Africa. She had been anticipated in Puerto Rico by 8 November for registration, costume fittings and rehearsals. “The fight to get Zimbabwe to Puerto Rico continues,” Hall wrote in an replace to her followers.

South Sudan’s consultant, Adut Deng, can be awaiting a call after months of efforts to acquire the required journey paperwork. Responding to Hall’s replace, the Miss Universe South Sudan organisation described Deng’s probabilities of reaching the competitors as “50/50”.

The journey difficulties have been linked to US President Donald Trump’s Presidential Proclamation 10998, which took impact on 1 January 2026. The coverage absolutely suspended visa issuance and entry for nationals of 19 nations and imposed partial restrictions on nationals of one other 19, topic to exceptions.

The Republic of the Congo and South Sudan face full restrictions, whereas Zambia, Zimbabwe and Nigeria are topic to partial restrictions. The classes affected by the partial measures embrace B-1 and B-2 enterprise and vacationer visas, F, M and J scholar or change visas, and immigrant visas. Exceptions embrace lawful everlasting residents, sure diplomatic travellers and twin nationals travelling on passports from nations exterior the restrictions.

The Miss Universe Nigeria organisation introduced Adewusi’s arrival on 9 November and urged Nigerians to help her within the pageant’s voting classes. Neither Adewusi nor the organisation disclosed the immigration foundation on which she entered Puerto Rico.

Adewusi, a 29-year-old medical physician and King’s College London alumna, represented Lagos State on the nationwide competitors and was topped Miss Universe Nigeria on 27 September. She positioned within the high 5 at Miss Universe Great Britain in 2023 and leads Scrub the Stigma, a girls’s well being advocacy initiative.

The pageant is predicted to carry collectively contestants from about 120 nations and territories. The nationwide costume presentation is scheduled for 21 November, adopted by the swimsuit and night robe segments on 22 November. The winner will probably be topped on the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum on 24 November.