The 75th Miss Universe Winner Will Be Crowned in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on November 24: Zimbabwe's Roseanna Hall Still Awaits a US Visa and Zambia Has Withdrawn Its Contestant as US Travel Restrictions Hit African Delegates
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Miss Universe Zimbabwe Roseanna Hall and several other contestants from Africa could miss this year's competition in Puerto Rico as they race to secure a United States visa, the BBC reported. The winner of the 75th edition of the Miss Universe pageant is set to be crowned on November 24, but Hall has yet to obtain a visa to travel to the United States territory.
We have been back and forth, trying to get my visa approved, Hall said. Contestants began arriving in Puerto Rico on November 8 for registration, fittings and other pre-pageant activities, putting pressure on Hall, and others including representatives from South Sudan, to secure her visa and join them.
Hall is not the only African contestant affected by the restrictions. Zambia has withdrawn its representative, Pamela Mubanga, from the competition because of the United States travel restrictions. The pageant's final is scheduled to take place at the Jose Miguel Agrelot Coliseum in San Juan.
Zimbabwe is among 19 countries subject to partial United States travel restrictions introduced under Presidential Proclamation 10998, which took effect on January 1, 2026. The measures suspend the issuance of visitor, student and exchange visas, as well as immigrant visas, to nationals of the affected countries. Puerto Rico is a United States territory, so delegates must meet United States entry rules to compete there.
Source: Miss Universe Organization
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
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