Two African contestants, Zambia’s Mubanga Pamela Hatyoka and the Republic of Congo’s Georgina Kambongo, have withdrawn from the 75th Miss Universe pageant in Puerto Rico after failing to obtain U.S. visas, the Associated Press reported on Nov. 13. Two more, Zimbabwe’s Roseanna Hall and South Sudan’s Adut Deng, were still waiting for travel approval as delegates gathered in San Juan, leaving four African delegations caught in Miss Universe visa delays.
According to the AP report published by ABC News, the withdrawals stem from travel restrictions imposed by President Donald Trump’s administration, which affect dozens of countries, many of them in Africa. The pageant is being held in the U.S. territory this month.
Which Countries Are Affected
Based on the reporting available so far, the four delegations stand as follows:
- Zambia: Withdrawn. Organizers confirmed that Hatyoka would miss the competition after efforts to secure a U.S. visa failed.
- Republic of Congo: Withdrawn. Kambongo made history as the Central African country’s first Miss Universe representative. National organizers say her inability to travel is linked solely to the U.S. restrictions, the AP reported.
- Zimbabwe: Hall, 34, was still in South Africa awaiting a visa, according to TimesLive.
- South Sudan: Organizers said Deng’s participation remained uncertain despite months of efforts to secure the necessary travel documents and approvals.
The Travel Proclamation Behind the Miss Universe Visa Delays
The restrictions in force since Jan. 1 come from Presidential Proclamation 10998, which introduced visa and entry limits for citizens of Zimbabwe and several other countries, South African outlet TimesLive reported. The AP said that last December the administration expanded its restrictions to additional countries, including Zambia and Zimbabwe, while keeping a full suspension of entry for nationals of the Republic of Congo and South Sudan.
The two groups face different rules. Latin Times reported that the U.S. State Department lists Zambia and Zimbabwe among countries subject to a partial suspension of visa issuance, including for visitor visas, since Jan. 1. A report carried by AllAfrica said Zimbabwe was placed on the partial ban because of a high rate of visa overstays. Congo and South Sudan sit under the stricter full suspension.
Roseanna Hall Stuck in South Africa
Hall’s case gives the most detailed picture of what the delays look like for a contestant. She had been due to fly to Puerto Rico on Sunday, Nov. 8, but her visa was held up at the U.S. consulate in South Africa, where she had spent the previous week, according to the report published on AllAfrica.
In an Instagram video posted that day, Hall said she had been stranded for a week. TimesLive quoted her as saying:
“I have been in South Africa for the past week. Today was officially the day I was supposed to leave for Puerto Rico. Unfortunately due to the partial ban on Zimbabwe and other nations by the United States, we have been working back and forth to get my visa approved.”
She said she was not the only one in that position. “I am not alone in this predicament,” Hall said, according to TimesLive. “Some of my African sisters are facing the same challenges.” She added that the Zimbabwean government, private individuals and the Miss Universe Zimbabwe Organisation were working to get the visa approved.
In a social media post quoted by the AP, she struck a defiant tone. “American visa challenges have delayed that journey, but the fight is not over,” she wrote. “After months of preparation, I am not giving up.”
What Zambia and South Sudan Organizers Said
National franchise holders, rather than the global pageant, have done most of the talking. Miss Universe Zambia organizers announced Hatyoka’s withdrawal in a statement this week. “She earned her crown, she earned her title, and she deserves the opportunity to represent the nation she proudly serves,” they said, as quoted by the AP.
South Sudan’s organizers also issued a statement while Deng’s trip remained in doubt: “South Sudan deserves to be seen, heard, and represented. Our queen carries the hopes, dreams, beauty, and resilience of a nation.”
None of the reports reviewed for this article included a statement from the Miss Universe Organization about the visa cases.
Pageant Schedule at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico
The 75th edition is expected to draw up to 120 contestants, according to the AP. Delegates began arriving in Puerto Rico on Nov. 8 for registration, fittings and rehearsals.
- Nov. 21: National costume competition.
- Nov. 22: Preliminary competition, including swimsuit and evening gown segments.
- Nov. 24: Final, at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot in San Juan.
Latin Times reported that reigning Miss Universe Fátima Bosch of Mexico will crown her successor on Tuesday, Nov. 24, with the final airing live on Telemundo and streaming on Peacock in the U.S. from 7 p.m. ET.
A Field Already Thinned by a Franchise Fight
The Miss Universe visa withdrawals are not the only gaps in this year’s lineup. Latin Times reported that Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Laos are sitting out the 2026 pageant after a dispute over who could license their national franchises. For Vietnam, it is the first absence since 2014.
Other contestants have dropped out for unrelated reasons. Bulgaria’s Ana-Maria Babau was injured in a car crash, Austria’s Victoria Amerson withdrew to protect her mental and physical health, and Saint Martin’s Madly Marian also pulled out, the outlet reported. Miss Dominican Republic Melissa Núñez arrived a day late after the vehicle carrying her overturned in Santo Domingo, before doctors cleared her to fly.
The event also carries public money. Puerto Rico’s Senate sought records on the $8.7 million the island’s government committed to hosting the pageant, and the Puerto Rico Tourism Company said it would provide them, according to Latin Times.
Whether Hall and Deng reach San Juan before the Nov. 21 opening of the competition rounds had not been reported as of Nov. 13.
