Nigeria's Danielle Adewusi has already reached Puerto Rico, but Zimbabwe's and South Sudan's contestants are unsure whether they can take part.
Two or more African nations will have no entrant at the 75th Miss Universe pageant, after their contestants were unable to obtain the clearance needed to reach Puerto Rico.
Zambia has withdrawn its representative, Pamela Mubanga, a 25-year-old registered nurse who was crowned Miss Universe Zambia on 8 October. The Miss Universe Zambia organisation said the decision was not linked to any personal failing or organisational shortcoming. Its statement read: "Unlike situations where a contestant's visa is denied due to personal circumstances, documentation or organisational challenges, Mubanga's situation is linked to the United States' presidential travel restriction affecting Zambia and other African countries." The organisation also said five other African countries faced similar difficulties, without naming them.
The Republic of the Congo has also withdrawn. Its contestant, Georgina Kambongo, was due to make history as the country's first representative at Miss Universe, but she could not get permission to travel. The national organisers blamed the US restrictions alone for her not being able to take part.
The curbs stem from Presidential Proclamation 10998, which US President Donald Trump brought in and which took effect on 1 January 2026. Under the rule, 19 nations saw visa issuance and entry completely suspended for their nationals, and another 19 saw them partly suspended, with specified exceptions applying. The Republic of the Congo and South Sudan are in the full category. Placed in the partial group are Zambia, Zimbabwe and Nigeria; the categories hit there cover B-1/B-2 business and tourist visas, F, M and J student or exchange visas, and immigrant visas.
The rule does not bar every citizen of the named countries outright. Exempt groups include lawful permanent residents, certain diplomats, and dual citizens who travel on passports issued by nations outside the restrictions.
Miss Universe Zimbabwe Roseanna Hall is due to represent Zimbabwe at the final, which will crown its winner on 24 November. She has yet to get a visa. Hall said she has been in South Africa for several weeks chasing a visa. Premium Times reports she was expected in Puerto Rico by 8 November to register, get fitted for costumes and rehearse. In one video, she marked the day she had planned to travel:
"Officially, today is the day I was supposed to be leaving for Puerto Rico for the 75th edition of Miss Universe."
She said she was not the only African contestant facing the problem: "I am not alone in this predicament. Some of my African sisters are facing the same predicament, and I know exactly what they are going through." In an earlier video, she captioned the post: "The fight to get Zimbabwe to Puerto Rico continues."
South Sudan's representative, Adut Deng, is also waiting for a decision after months of attempts to secure the required travel documents. Commenting on Hall's Instagram video, Miss Universe South Sudan wrote: "It is 50/50 whether we will make it, Miss Universe."
Nigeria sits in the partial group too, yet its representative, Danielle Adewusi, reached San Juan on 9 November and has taken part in the preliminary events. The Miss Universe Nigeria organisation announced her arrival and urged Nigerians to support her in the pageant's voting categories. Neither she nor the organisers have publicly stated the immigration basis on which she entered Puerto Rico, so it remains unclear whether she travelled on a visa issued before the restrictions took effect, an unaffected passport or another exception. The 29-year-old medical doctor was crowned Miss Universe Nigeria on 27 September after representing Lagos State.
About 120 countries and territories are expected to take part. The national costume presentation is on 21 November, the swimsuit and evening-gown segments follow on 22 November, and the winner will be crowned on 24 November at the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum in San Juan.
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