The mother of Cape Verde’s breakout star goalkeeper, Vozinha, has successfully been granted a visa to enter the United States.
The breakthrough ensures she will arrive in time for her 40-year-old son’s next World Cup match, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries announced Wednesday.
Vozinha became an early sensation of the World Cup tournament after delivering a spectacular seven-save performance to secure a 0-0 draw against powerhouse Spain—a team heavily expected to rout the tiny island nation in their stunning World Cup debut.
Following that historic match, the goalkeeper revealed that his mother had been unable to gather the money in time to secure a visa to enter the U.S. to watch him play.
The viral story quickly caught the attention of Washington. Jeffries stated that he personally spoke to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and “asked the State Department to do everything in their power to ensure that his mother can attend Cabo Verde’s next match.”
According to Jeffries, all standard fees have been waived, and immediate travel arrangements are underway to fly her to Miami for Cape Verde’s upcoming clash against Uruguay this Sunday.
“I thank Secretary Rubio, U.S. State Department officials, the government of Cabo Verde and FIFA for working together to make this possible,” Jeffries said.
The sudden rush for a visa highlights the strict travel regulations surrounding the tournament. Cape Verde is currently among 50 nations whose citizens face bonds of up to $15,000 to secure entry into the U.S., a policy stemming from President Donald Trump’s broader crackdown on travelers from countries with historically high rates of visa overstays.
While the Trump administration suspended the bond requirement last month for ticket-holders from Cape Verde and four other World Cup nations, critics argued the policy reversal came too late for many fans to make arrangements.
The State Department initially noted it had no record of Vozinha’s mother ever applying for a visa, though officials quickly pivoted to resolve the issue alongside Cape Verde authorities.
Furthermore, the department clarified that it had previously notified all players from affected World Cup nations that they and their families would be entirely exempt from the $15,000 visa bond.
According to a person familiar with the situation, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss confidential visa deliberations, the State Department believes the initial lack of an application was because Vozinha’s mother did not hold a valid Cape Verde passport. She is reportedly now in the process of obtaining one to finalise her travel.
