State Department initially stated it had no record of an official visa application, noting later that its consular team in Praia was actively assisting Evora, who reportedly lacked a valid passport.
In May, Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar confirmed that the administration waived certain bond mandates for qualifying tournament participants and immediate relatives, though critics argued the adjustment came too late for many international fans.
Prior to the policy waiver, the goalkeeper expressed the financial strain the travel regulations imposed on his family members.
"The U. S.
rules changed and we had to pay a very big tax to bring my mum here and other brothers I have," said Vozinha.
The Cape Verde international, who became the oldest player to debut in a nation's first-ever World Cup match at 40 years and 12 days old, experienced an emotional post-match reaction.
"I cried after the game because I grew up with my grandparents when I was a kid, and they could not be there," said Vozinha.
The veteran player, whose career spans 91 international appearances across clubs in Cyprus, Slovakia, Moldova, and Cape Verde, saw his Instagram following surge from 50,000 to 12.6 million within three days of the Spain match.
The restrictive travel policies also drew complaints from other international teams participating in the tournament, including African squads facing partial travel bans signed by President Trump in December.
"It’s true that some supporters couldn’t fly to America," said Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly.
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The tournament structure continues this week as Cape Verde prepares for its second group stage match against Uruguay at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
