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President Julius Maada Bio and his immediate family have been granted unrestricted access to the United States, allowing them to travel freely for leisure and official purposes.
The announcement follows President Donald Trump’s proclamation on June 4, 2025, which bans many ordinary Sierra Leone citizens, including winners of the 2026 Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery, from entering the U.S.
Dr. Sylvia Olayinka Blyden OOR provided a detailed analysis of the proclamation, highlighting that President Bio, First Lady Fatima Bio, and their dependent children are exempt from the restrictions that apply to the majority of Sierra Leoneans.
The exemption places the Bio family in a unique position, allowing them to travel to the U.S. without any limitations, a privilege not extended to most ordinary citizens of Sierra Leone.
The proclamation, which takes effect on June 9, 2025, aims to address national security concerns, citing Sierra Leone’s high visa overstay rates as a significant factor.
While many Sierra Leoneans will be unable to secure new visitor visas for tourism, business, or education, those with valid visas can still enter the U.S. until their visas expire.
Dr. Blyden emphasized that while President Bio and his family enjoy unrestricted entry, other government officials face tighter travel regulations. Cabinet Ministers and the Vice President can only enter the U.S. for official duties, with their spouses allowed to accompany them, while Deputy Ministers and lower-ranking officials will encounter even stricter limitations under A2 visas.
The proclamation has sparked concern among ordinary Sierra Leoneans, who now face significant barriers to travel. Most citizens will be unable to apply for visitor visas unless specifically invited by the U.S. government or falling under specific exceptions, such as journalists or athletes.
As the situation develops, Sierra Leoneans are encouraged to seek guidance from the U.S. Embassy in Freetown or the U.S. Government regarding their visa status and options moving forward.
De world nor level.
Me being the president will not accept the offer, is like you telling my children not to enter your house and telling me to come instead.
It’s the responsibility of the president to implement security measures and immigration rules to protect the integrity of the country but it’s not happening.
What is the secret of this privileged between president bio and trump. The government of sierra leone is to wise and focus.
The only access needs by trump is “accessibility to our minerals “
When i realize that i was born here it urge me to remain calm for any situation in the land. Am dreaming of going to and fro but i don’t know how and where to go. So i can still be here and enjoy seeing over there
You may see it as a privilege, because you really do not know or understand how the Wedt operates; they are granted exception because they know they having been steeling the country’s money, so America knows that it’s better for them to invest the stolen money in their economy than another Western country. You feel me now?