Photo: AFP/ Getty - Mario Tama
From heavy visa bonds to suspended applications to straight-up travel bans, the United States has implemented or announced sweeping restrictions on Pacific travel in just the first two weeks of 2026.
Confirmed Thursday 15 January, Fiji is among a list of 75 countries for which the US will suspend the issue of migration visas from January 21st.
The suspension does not apply to non-immigrant visas, such as for tourism or business.
At the same time, numerous Pacific Island countries will now have to pay bonds of up to USD$15,000 to enter the country on a temporary visa.
And two weeks ago, The Guardian reported a complete freeze on all visa applications for Tongan citizens came into force, impacting a community of around 79,000 Tongan Americans
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