US Embassy in Bridgetown closed tomorrow for Martin Luther King Jr Day

The US Embassy in Bridgetown, Barbados, will remain closed on Monday (January 15, 2023). In a message posted on X (previously Twitter), the Embassy announced the closure in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

The official works and the Embassy will again resume on Tuesday. The prior announcement ahead of the closure helped people plan their trips to the Embassy accordingly.

Notably, the majority of U.S. consulates, embassies and missions across the world will remain closed. Every year, the birth of Civil Rights Leader Martin Luther King Jr is celebrated on January 15.

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New Ambassador Assumes Office

Besides this, with the arrival of a new Ambassador, the U.S. Embassy in Barbados is now under Roger Nyhus. He arrived on the island on Tuesday and is excited to be working in the Eastern Caribbean.

Nyhus was previously a businessman in Seattle, United States and belongs to a small fishing village Westport in Washington D.C. Upon his arrival in Barbados, he shared his excitement and said his Chinook Indian roots are going to be helpful during this tenure.

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His appointment was announced by U.S. President Joe Biden, which was later confirmed by the Senate earlier in 2023. Following that, Nyhus received a three-phase training in Washington, DC and is all geared up to be in Barbados.

Roger Nyhus is experienced in various different sectors relevant to the Eastern Caribbean, including sustainability, energy, aviation, and tourism, global health. He also worked in the seafood industry.

Notably, as per the Embassy's official profile of Nyhus he also worked as an advisor to businesses and government leaders around the world, including CEOs of Fortune 500 companies. 

Fee Structure Revised in 2023

Furthermore, in May 2023, the US Embassy in Barbados also revised its fee structure for applicants. All petition-based (H, L, O, P, Q, and R) visa fees was increased from just $190 to $205, while the E-visa application fees was also increased from $205 to $315.