US to Impose Partial Visa Restrictions on Tonga and 14 Other Countries from January 2026
Starting 1 January 2026, the United States will implement partial visa restrictions and entry limitations on 15 countries, including Tonga. This policy expansion comes after the US added five other nations—Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, and Syria—to its travel ban in December 2025. The full list of the newly affected countries includes Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, the Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Tonga is the sole Pacific island nation on the list. It has a population of about 100,000, with approximately 70,000 Tongans living in the United States and around 150,000 Tongans residing outside the island nation altogether. The US has described these restrictions as "partial," issuing visas only in exceptional cases, such as for US government employees.
The US government attributes the new measures to high rates of visa overstays, exceeding 14% in some visa categories. The policy also poses challenges for Tongans currently holding work or student visas, who may face difficulties traveling home and risk being unable to return to the US.
Criticism has come from Hawaiian Senator Jarrett Keohokalole, who called the policy unjustified. He emphasized the strong Polynesian ties to the US and noted that Tonga's governance aligns closely with American interests, arguing that the restrictions unfairly harm Pacific island communities.
Community leaders in New Zealand, including Melino Maka, have expressed concerns about the adverse effects on family connections. Maka also suggested that broader geopolitical considerations, such as US relations with China, may be influencing this policy.
There are also anticipated educational impacts, as the number of Tongan international students in some US universities may decline. A professor noted that Tongans were the second-largest international student group at his institution for the January 2026 intake.
