Liberia Spared From Trump's New U.S. Visa Ban

Monrovia — Liberia is exempt from U.S. President Donald J. Trump's latest visa ban. This ban targets countries considered security risks to the United States. It was announced in an executive order issued in January 2025.

The executive order, titled "Protecting the United States From Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats," affects 12 countries. Citizens from these countries cannot obtain U.S. visas. Liberia, previously on a State Department watch list, was not included in this final ban.

Countries facing full visa bans include Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Citizens from these nations will be denied entry unless specific exemptions apply.

Seven additional countries face partial entry restrictions: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. The ban takes effect on Monday, June 9, 2025.

Why Was Liberia Exempted?

Liberia's exemption marks a significant change from its previous classification on the State Department's "Yellow List." This list flags countries for security and document integrity issues. Diplomatic sources say improvements in passport issuance processes led to this exemption.

Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti has been credited with restoring public confidence in passport services. Passport applications are now processed within seven days at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Payments are made exclusively through the International Bank of Liberia to reduce fraud risks.

The Ministry has also cracked down on illegal diplomatic passport issuance. This issue had drawn international criticism towards Liberia.

A Scandalous Past

Liberia's earlier inclusion on the Yellow List stemmed from a diplomatic passport scandal during former President George Weah's administration. Investigations revealed that diplomatic passports were sold to individuals with criminal records.

One such individual was Sheik Bassirou Kante who allegedly had ties to President Weah and Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor.

Andrew Wonplo was the former Director of the Passport Division accused of facilitating illegal passport sales. Although he was acquitted by a Liberian court, the U.S. barred him and his family from entering due to complicity concerns.

At that time, Gbehzohngar Milton Findley served as Foreign Minister.

A New Era of Accountability

Liberia's exemption is seen as recognition of recent efforts to improve its diplomatic credibility. Minister Nyanti’s reforms have received praise for restoring order amid corruption and inefficiency.

In addition to being exempted from the U.S. visa ban, Liberia recently won a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council with 181 votes in an uncontested race. The country will serve alongside the Democratic Republic of Congo from 2026 to 2027 as Africa's representative on the Council.