Roseanna Hall was supposed to leave for Puerto Rico on Nov. 8, when contestants began arriving for the 75th Miss Universe pageant.
The Zimbabwean beauty queen had spent weeks in South Africa trying to secure a U.S. visa. By Friday, Nov. 13, she was still waiting, with the Nov. 24 finale just days away.
Two African delegates have already withdrawn.
Zambia’s Mubanga Pamela Hatyoka, a 25-year-old registered nurse, and the Republic of Congo’s Georgina Kambongo will miss the pageant after being unable to secure U.S. visas, The Associated Press reported.
Kambongo planned to become the first woman to represent the Republic of Congo at Miss Universe. South Sudan’s Adut Deng was still waiting for clearance after months of efforts by her national organizers.
“She earned her crown, she earned her title, and she deserves the opportunity to represent the nation she proudly serves,” Miss Universe Zambia organizers said in a statement announcing Hatyoka’s withdrawal.
Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, so international contestants traveling there are subject to federal immigration and visa restrictions.
President Donald Trump’s December 2025 proclamation expanded restrictions his administration first imposed that June.
The updated rules took effect Jan. 1, 2026, and partially suspended entry for nationals of Zambia and Zimbabwe seeking certain visas, including tourist, business visitor, student and exchange visitor visas.
South Sudan joined the list of countries facing full entry restrictions, while the Republic of Congo remained on it.
The restrictions generally apply to people who were outside the United States and lacked a valid visa when the rules took effect.
The proclamation includes an exception for athletes, coaches, team personnel and their immediate relatives traveling to the World Cup, Olympics and other qualifying major sporting events. It also allows case-by-case exceptions for travel deemed to serve the U.S. national interest.
Kambongo’s planned debut would have added another chapter to a pageant history stretching across the Black diaspora. In 1977, Trinidad and Tobago’s Janelle Commissiong became the first Black woman to win Miss Universe.
In 1999, Trinidad and Tobago hosted the competition as Botswana sent its first delegate, 19-year-old Mpule Kwelagobe.
She made history as the first Black African woman to win the crown and later used her platform to champion HIV/AIDS prevention, particularly among young people.
At the time, Trump co-owned the Miss Universe Organization with NBCUniversal. He sold his interest in the organization to WME/IMG in September 2015.
Twenty years later, South Africa’s Zozibini Tunzi took the crown at Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta. Tunzi wore her short natural hair as she discussed growing up in a world that rarely considered women who looked like her beautiful.
When asked what young girls should be taught, she answered, “Leadership.” Her response drew a standing ovation from the audience.
In San Juan, the national costume competition is scheduled for Nov. 21, with the crowning set for three days later.
As of Friday, Hall and Deng were still waiting to learn whether they would get to walk that stage.
