The United States has suspended all visas issued to South Sudanese citizens and revoked existing ones, in a sweeping response to what it calls a breach of international obligations by the government in Juba.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the decision late Friday, citing South Sudan’s failure to cooperate in accepting its repatriated nationals.
“I am taking actions to revoke all visas held by South Sudanese passport holders and to restrict any further issuance to prevent entry into the United States, effective immediately,” Rubio said in a post shared on X.
He accused South Sudan's transitional government of failing to accept the return of its citizens in a timely manner.
The US State Department elaborated on the move in a follow-up statement from the Deputy Secretary of State, describing the action as a matter of national policy enforcement.
“Let there be no mistake: the Administration is committed to robust enforcement of our Nation’s immigration laws, and expects all other countries to accept repatriation of their own nationals,” the statement read.
According to the Department, the dispute stems from South Sudan’s refusal to accept a national who had been certified by its own embassy in Washington.
Diplomatic efforts to resolve the issue were reportedly ignored by South Sudanese authorities
“In light of this violation, all visa appointments for South Sudanese applicants are cancelled," it said.
"No new visas will be issued, no existing visas will be effective, and hence no one from South Sudan will be entering the United States on a visa until this matter is resolved,” the Deputy Secretary added
The decision marks an escalation in immigration enforcement against countries deemed non-compliant with repatriation agreements.
The suspension affects students, business travellers, and even those with previously valid visas already in hand.
South Sudan, the world’s youngest nation, has not yet responded publicly to the suspension.
The move risks further isolating the country, which has already faced criticism for delays in implementing its transitional peace arrangements and persistent governance issues.
It remains unclear how long the ban will remain in place or whether it could affect diplomatic or humanitarian cooperation between the two nations.