(SAINT LUCIA) — U.S. visa statistics showed Saint Lucia’s refusal rate for visitor visas jumped sharply in the most recent published fiscal year, feeding reports from Saint Lucians of tougher outcomes at consular windows and longer waits for interviews.
Key statistics and trends
- Official U.S. Department of State data put Saint Lucia’s FY 2024 Adjusted Refusal Rate (B-Visas) at 26.82%, up from 16.60% in FY 2023.
- The published shift is reflected in media accounts of students and professionals experiencing “quiet declines,” including some who previously held valid U.S. visas without issue.
- Processing for Saint Lucians is routed through the U.S. Embassy in Barbados, where visa interview wait times are currently ranging from 60 to 150 days as vetting requirements intensify.
Refusal-rate snapshot
| Fiscal Year | Adjusted Refusal Rate (B-Visas) |
|---|---|
| FY 2023 | 16.60% |
| FY 2024 | 26.82% |
Policy context and regional measures
- Saint Lucia was not included in the final list of 39 countries subject to full or partial visa suspensions under Presidential Proclamation 10998, which took effect January 1, 2026.
- Despite that, the country remains under “heightened scrutiny” according to official and internal U.S. government material.
A major driver cited by U.S. officials is concern over regional Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programs, which permit foreign nationals to obtain passports through investment rather than long-standing ties.
- U.S. officials have explicitly characterized CBI programs that lack a physical residency requirement as a “national security threat,” arguing they can enable individuals to bypass U.S. vetting by acquiring secondary passports.
- This scrutiny has produced concrete measures for some neighbors: Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica were placed under partial visa restrictions starting January 1, 2026, due to their CBI programs.
Executive orders and internal guidance
- Saint Lucia has been affected by a broader U.S. “security-first” posture on immigration outlined in Executive Order 14161, dated January 20, 2025, titled “Protecting the United States From Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats.”
- An internal signal emerged from a leaked State Department cable dated June 14, 2025, described as a memo signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio that reportedly identified 36 “countries of concern,” including Saint Lucia.
- The cable warned those nations had 60 days to improve passport security and data-sharing or face formal entry restrictions.
Consular impact and notable denials
- The tightening has not been limited to aggregate numbers. A high-profile denial surfaced publicly in December 2025, when reports said Richard Frederick, a Saint Lucian Member of Parliament and government minister, was denied a visa at the U.S. Embassy in Barbados.
- Consular officials reportedly told him they could not issue a visa “at this time” without providing a specific reason, according to reports.
“We are protecting our nation and its citizens by using rigorous, security-focused screening and vetting procedures to ensure that individuals approved for a visa do not endanger national security or public safety.”
— State Department statement, December 19, 2025
Where to find official information
- Official visa refusal-rate tables for fiscal year 2024 are published by the State Department at https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Statistics/Non-Immigrant-Statistics/RefusalRates/FY24.pdf.
- The U.S. Embassy in Barbados provides consular updates at https://bb.usembassy.gov/visas/.
- USCIS has posted “Immigration Integrity Updates” in its newsroom at https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom.
Practical implications for Saint Lucian travelers
- For short-term U.S. travel, the current practical picture combines:
- A higher published refusal rate for B-Visas (26.82% in FY 2024).
- Reports of “quiet declines” at consular windows.
- Longer interview wait times in Barbados, commonly 60 to 150 days.
- While the published statistics do not provide case-by-case reasons for denials, the broader U.S. messaging emphasizes screening and vetting as baseline expectations, even for countries not placed under formal suspensions.
Saint Lucia faces a significant rise in U.S. visa refusal rates, reaching 26.82% in FY 2024. The increase is driven by heightened U.S. security vetting and concerns over ‘golden passports’ or CBI programs. Consequently, travelers face wait times of up to five months in Barbados. Despite avoiding formal suspensions, internal memos indicate Saint Lucia remains a country of concern regarding passport security and data sharing.
