Miss Universe Zimbabwe Roseanna Hall, slated to compete in Puerto Rico’s 75th edition, has yet to secure a U.S. visa, jeopardising her participation in the November 24 finale.
Hall, who has been actively seeking approval, posted a video on Instagram saying, “We have been back and forth, trying to get my visa approved.” She added that she has spent recent weeks in South Africa attempting to obtain the necessary travel documents.
She is not alone. Zambia’s representative, Pamela Mubanga, withdrew from the competition after the United States imposed travel restrictions on her country. Mubanga, a 25‑year‑old registered nurse crowned Miss Universe Zambia on 8 October, cited the U.S. Presidential Proclamation 10998 as the cause of her inability to travel.
Other African contestants, including the South Sudanese delegate, have expressed uncertainty about their own travel status. “It is 50/50 whether we will make it, Miss Universe,” a South Sudanese contestant commented in response to Hall’s video.
Zimbabwe is one of 19 nations subject to the partial U.S. travel restrictions that took effect on 1 January 2026. The measures suspend the issuance of visitor, student, exchange, and immigrant visas for nationals of the affected countries and impose additional limits on other non‑immigrant categories.
The Miss Universe organization in Zambia stated that Mubanga’s situation was a direct result of the U.S. travel ban rather than personal or organisational issues. Five other African countries reportedly face similar visa challenges, though they were not named.
Contestants began arriving in Puerto Rico on 8 November for registration, fittings and other pre‑pageant activities, adding pressure on Hall and her peers to finalize travel arrangements. The pageant’s final will be held at the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum in San Juan.
As the deadline approaches, African delegates continue to fight for entry visas, hoping to represent their nations on the global stage.
