US visa restrictions have disrupted preparations for this year’s Miss Universe beauty pageant, forcing Zambia and Republic of Congo to withdraw their contestants and leaving Zimbabwe’s participation uncertain less than two weeks before the final in Puerto Rico. 

The 75th Miss Universe World Final will take place on 24 November 2026 at the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum in San Juan, Puerto Rico - a US territory. This year’s edition brings together delegates from over 120 countries and territories. 

Zimbabwe’s representative, Roseanna Hall, said in an Instagram post that visa difficulties had prevented her from traveling to the US territory despite months of preparation. Contestants from South Sudan and Zimbabwe are still awaiting theirs.  

“Unfortunately American visa challenges have delayed that journey, but the fight is not over,” Hall wrote.

 She said the Zimbabwean government and the country’s Miss Universe organization were working to help her secure a visa. 

Meanwhile, the Miss Universe Zambia organization announced that its representative, Pamela Mubanga, would not participate in the competition because of US travel restrictions. 

The organization said the withdrawal was linked to restrictions imposed by the US government rather than problems with Mubanga’s documentation or preparations.

Congo’s first Miss Universe representative

 In the Republic of Congo, Georgina Kambongo made history when she was crowned the Central African country’s first Miss Universe representative. National organizers say her inability to travel to Puerto Rico is linked solely to Trump’s travel restrictions. 

In South Sudan, organizers said contestant Adut Deng’s participation remained uncertain despite months of efforts to secure the necessary travel documents and approvals.

 “South Sudan deserves to be seen, heard, and represented. Our queen carries the hopes, dreams, beauty, and resilience of a nation,” organizers said in a statement. 

Some 19 countries are subject to partial US travel restrictions under a presidential proclamation that took effect January 1. The measures suspend the issuance of certain visitor, student, exchange visitor and immigrant visas to nationals of the affected countries, subject to limited exceptions. 

The 75th edition of Miss Universe is scheduled to conclude November. 24 in San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico.