The mother of Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha will be able to watch her son face Uruguay in Miami on Sunday, after a rapid intervention by the US State Department and the Democratic leader in the House of Representatives, Hakeem Jeffries. The congressman, who has Cape Verdean heritage on his mother’s side, announced on Wednesday that all visa fees had been waived and travel arrangements were under way, resolving a saga that had threatened to keep Ana Cândida Évora from the tournament. The breakthrough came barely 48 hours after her son’s stunning performance against Spain turned a bureaucratic obstacle into an international cause célèbre.

Vozinha, a 40-year-old journeyman goalkeeper, became an overnight sensation when Cape Verde held the European champions to a goalless draw in Atlanta in their World Cup debut. He repelled 27 shots, made seven crucial saves, and woke the next morning to more than 10 million Instagram followers—roughly 20 times the population of the tiny Atlantic archipelago. Yet his tears on the pitch after the final whistle were not solely of joy. Raised by grandparents who have since died, Vozinha told reporters he wept because his mother could not be there to share the moment, blocked by a visa bond she could not afford.

The bond requirement stemmed from a Trump administration policy enacted in January, which added Cape Verde to a list of countries whose citizens must post a refundable surety of up to $15,000 to enter the United States. The family believed this sum was insurmountable, and no formal visa application was initially lodged. US officials later clarified that relatives of World Cup players are eligible for a blanket exemption from the bond, and the State Department said it was actively reaching out to the family to correct what it described as a misunderstanding. Viewed from Washington, the episode exposed the friction between restrictive immigration rules and the logistical demands of hosting a global mega-event.

With the visa hurdle cleared, attention now shifts back to the pitch, where Cape Verde’s fairytale campaign faces a stern test against Uruguay. Analysts in London note that the emotional reunion in Miami could provide a further psychological lift for a squad already playing with house money. The affair has also sharpened scrutiny of the visa regime surrounding the tournament; reports from Jakarta and São Paulo suggest that similar bureaucratic tangles have dampened enthusiasm among some travelling fans. For Vozinha, however, the personal victory is already secured: the woman who could not be in Atlanta will be in the stands when he next takes his place between the posts.