US visa restrictions: travel bonds still in force
Dominicans applying for U.S. travel visas continue to face a travel bond requirement of between US$5,000 and US$15,000, refundable if the application is rejected, since the policy took effect January 21. The State Department had cited concerns about the country’s CBI program — specifically, the sale of citizenship to applicants from “rogue nations” — as one driver of the restriction.
Opposition parties and civil society groups have criticised the government, contending that local diplomats should have been able to ward off the visa downgrade. The Trump administration’s stance on Caribbean CBI programs continues to compress the regional citizenship investment market.
Deportee MOU: opposition demands full disclosure
Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit’s government has signed a memorandum of understanding to accept U.S. deportees, joining Guyana, Grenada, Antigua, St. Kitts and St. Lucia in announcing similar agreements. The opposition has called on the prime minister to disclose all of the agreement’s details to the Dominican public, citing concerns over capacity and capability to receive the intended group.
Different countries have negotiated different clauses; St. Kitts, for example, will only accept regional deportees who originate within the area. The Dominican opposition is pressing for the same level of clarity domestically.
Escazú Agreement: COP 4 wrap
Dominica is a State Party to the Escazú Agreement, the Latin America and Caribbean environmental treaty whose fourth Conference of the Parties wrapped in Nassau on April 24. The country’s representatives engaged in deliberations on environmental information access, public participation in environmental assessment, access to environmental justice, and gender mainstreaming in implementation.
In other news
Hurricane preparedness planning continues as the region approaches the start of the 2026 Atlantic season in June. Dominica was among the countries hardest hit by Hurricane Melissa’s outer bands in October 2025; recovery from sustained heavy rain and flooding remains ongoing in inland communities.
The Caribbean Compass May edition highlights regional themes — race yachts departing St. Barts for Newport, conservation voices in Belize, and a global study on protected marine sanctuaries — that touch Dominica’s own marine and conservation challenges.
Sport
Beach volleyball: Dominica fielded a senior team at the May 1-3 ECVA Senior Beach Volleyball Championship in Saint Lucia, joining sides from St. Kitts, Grenada, Antigua, Bermuda, St. Vincent, Anguilla, Sint Maarten and host country Saint Lucia.
Tradewinds Brief covers twelve Caribbean countries every publishing day. For the diaspora — what’s happening back home and what it means for you.