MONROVIA – The Liberian government has moved swiftly to seek answers from the United States following reports suggesting that Liberia may be placed on a U.S. visa restriction list. Foreign Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti, appearing before the Senate, downplayed the credibility of the claims but acknowledged that Liberia has ongoing challenges with diplomatic passport security and visa overstays by officials.
Her appearance before the Senate comes amid growing concern over Liberia’s foreign relations. The Senate Joint Committees on Foreign Affairs and Defense, Security & Intelligence summoned Minister Nyanti for a hearing on Monday, March 17, to address pressing concerns, including the looming threat of U.S. visa restrictions and the worsening plight of Liberian students stranded in Morocco due to government neglect.
During the hearing, Minister Nyanti stated that the government has received no official notice from Washington regarding any visa restrictions. She further revealed that the U.S. Embassy in Monrovia has also denied knowledge of Liberia being placed on a so-called “yellow list” that could result in travel limitations.
However, Minister Nyanti admitted that Liberia has faced repeated warnings from the U.S. about the misuse of diplomatic passports and overstays by Liberian government officials. “We have been having issues with Liberians, including officials holding diplomatic passports, overstaying in the U.S. This is a serious issue that the U.S. government communicates to us regularly,” she said.
In response to the uncertainty, Liberia has issued a diplomatic démarche to the U.S., outlining efforts to tighten passport security and calling for clarification on the alleged restrictions. Minister Nyanti assured lawmakers that the Foreign Ministry, in collaboration with the National Security Agency, is taking measures to ensure that diplomatic passports are properly vetted and not falling into the wrong hands.
Senator Amara Konneh, who led questioning during the hearing, pressed Minister Nyanti on whether Liberians planning to travel to the U.S. in the coming months should be concerned. “Can you assure Liberians that our diplomatic passports are not in the hands of criminals and terrorists?” Konneh asked. Minister Nyanti responded that the government is working to strengthen its passport issuance process but did not entirely rule out the possibility of previous lapses.
Beyond the rumored visa restrictions, Minister Nyanti disclosed that the U.S. has raised concerns about the structure and effectiveness of Liberia’s Foreign Service in the U.S. “We have been approached by the U.S. government directly on several occasions about the need for a complete overhaul of our Foreign Service. We are now using this as an opportunity to review our representation and ensure that Liberia is properly served,” she said.
While emphasizing that the reports remain unverified, Minister Nyanti reaffirmed the government’s commitment to resolving passport security concerns and strengthening diplomatic ties with the U.S. She urged Liberians to await official communication rather than rely on speculation, emphasizing that the government remains engaged with Washington on the matter.
