Tiny Pacific nations fear US travel bans. Why?

Tuvalu, Tonga and Vanuatu all appeared on a list of nations facing new visa curbs. A US official says Washington has ‘valid concerns’

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A man sat in a hammock drinks coconut milk on Funafuti Atoll, Tuvalu. Photo: AFP

Published: 10:02am, 2 Jul 2025Updated: 4:38pm, 2 Jul 2025

Tuvalu, a tiny Pacific nation that scientists predict will be submerged by rising seas, said it was seeking written assurance from the United States that its citizens would not be barred from entry after being apparently mistakenly included in a list of 36 countries facing visa bans.

An internal diplomatic cable signed by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio showed the United States, which has already barred entry for citizens from 12 countries, was considering expanding travel restrictions to the 36 countries, including three Pacific island states, it was reported last month.

Nations on the list would have 60 days to take corrective action, the cable showed.

The news caused significant concern in Tuvalu, whose population of around 11,000 is at risk from rising sea levels, and where a third of residents have applied to an Australian ballot for a landmark climate migration visa.

The serpentine coastline of Funafuti Atoll, home to nearly half of Tuvalu’s entire population. Photo: AFP

Tuvalu’s ambassador to the United Nations, Tapugao Falefou, said he had been told by a US official that Tuvalu’s inclusion on the list was “an administrative and systemic error on the part of the US Department of State”.

In a statement on Tuesday, Tuvalu’s government said it had not received any formal notification that it was on the list and had also been assured by the US embassy in Fiji it was “an error within the system”.

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