Independent Dubai advisory · Antigua & Barbuda CBI since 2013
Honest facts · reviewed 22 September 2026
The honest summary is that this passport became weaker for United States travel in 2026, not stronger. Since 21 January 2026 Antigua sits in the US visa-bond pilot, and since 27 February 2026 B-1/B-2 visitor visas for Antiguan nationals have been three-month single-entry rather than ten-year multiple-entry.
We publish this clearly because misleading a client about US access helps nobody and unravels within one consular appointment. If your main reason for seeking a second passport is straightforward American travel, Antigua may not be the right choice in 2026 — and we would rather tell you now than after you have paid.
Change one
From 21 January 2026, Antigua & Barbuda nationals applying for a US B-1/B-2 visa can be required to post a refundable bond set by the consular officer.
$5,000
Lower bond tier
$10,000
Middle bond tier
$15,000
Upper bond tier
Case by case
Who decides
the consular officer, per applicant
The bond is set at one of three levels and the consular officer decides the amount on the individual case. It is refundable provided you comply with the terms of your visa and leave when required — but it is capital you must lock up before travelling, on top of the usual visa fees and the process itself.
In plain terms this converts a routine visitor visa into a more expensive and more conditional exercise for Antiguan nationals. For anyone who travels to the United States regularly, that is a meaningful practical barrier rather than a technicality.
Bond amounts and the composition of the pilot are set by United States authorities and can change. Confirm the current position before applying.
Change two
From 27 February 2026, US visitor visas for Antiguan nationals were reduced from ten-year multiple-entry to three-month single-entry.
This is the change that most affects everyday travellers. Where an Antiguan national might previously have held a US visitor visa valid for ten years with multiple entries, the visa now permits a single entry within a three-month validity window. After that one trip, you apply again — with the bond conditions above potentially in play on each cycle.
For a household that visits the United States once a year or more, that is a fundamentally different experience: repeat applications, repeat scrutiny, repeat fees, and the prospect of a refundable bond each time. It is precisely why we refuse to market this passport as an easy route to America.
Change three
Beyond visitor visas, the US immigrant-visa pipeline for Antigua & Barbuda was frozen in early 2026, meaning new immigrant cases are not progressing through the normal process. If a path to United States residence forms part of your long-term plan, this passport should not be the vehicle for it, and you should take qualified US immigration advice tailored to your circumstances rather than relying on an investment-migration firm's general view.
Separately, travellers admitted under the current B-1/B-2 conditions are directed through designated entry airports. This is part of the same 2026 framework as the bond pilot, and it constrains routing in a way that catches people out — a connection through the wrong port of entry becomes a problem at the immigration desk rather than at the booking stage.
Plan any US itinerary around these points of entry and confirm the live requirement before you fly — the designated list is set by US authorities and can change.
Reading this honestly
We treat this as a trust question rather than a sales one. Our job is to match you to the programme that actually serves your priority, and to be transparent when that programme is not the one this website is about. Where Antigua is the better fit on household value or European mobility, we say so just as plainly.
US visa questions
Free consultation
A free, no-obligation consultation with our Dubai team. If Antigua fits your objectives we will guide you through it. If another programme serves your American travel better, we will name it — including when that means we do not win the work.
United States visa policy is set by United States authorities and changes without notice. The figures on this page reflect measures effective 21 January and 27 February 2026 and were last reviewed on 22 September 2026. Nothing here is US immigration advice; confirm current requirements with the relevant US authorities or a qualified US immigration attorney before making travel or residence decisions.
No obligation
Tell us about your household and we will send a written, itemised estimate for the route that actually fits — including the fees most sites leave out.