U.S. Government’s travel bans mean many Haitian fans will not be able to go to World Cup

Haiti qualified this week to compete in the men’s World Cup for the first time since 1974 but travel bans imposed by the U.S. government mean many fans will not be able to travel from the Caribbean country to attend their nation’s games in the United States next summer.

The executive order, announced on June 4, was titled: “RESTRICTING THE ENTRY OF FOREIGN NATIONALS TO PROTECT THE UNITED STATES FROM FOREIGN TERRORISTS AND OTHER NATIONAL SECURITY AND PUBLIC SAFETY THREATS.”

The document said that Haiti had been targeted because a report by the Department of Homeland Security for Fiscal Year 2023 had stated that Haitians who entered the U.S. on a B-1 or B-2 visa (for business or pleasure) had an overstay rate of 31.38 per cent while the overstay rate for nonimmigrant students and exchange visitors was 25.05 per cent.