Ana Candida Evora was unable to travel to watch her son star in a goalless draw with Spain due to the cost of a US visa.

The minority leader of the United States House of Representatives has urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to allow the mother of Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha to enter the country and watch her son play at the World Cup.

Ana Candida Evora was unable to travel to watch her son star in a goalless draw with Spain due to the cost of a bond payment for a visa to enter the US.

In January, Cape Verde was included on a list of dozens of countries whose citizens needed to post bonds of up to $15,000 to enter the US, under regulations introduced by Donald Trump’s administration and intended to curb visa overstays.

Last month, Washington announced it was dropping the requirement for World Cup ticket holders, saying it wanted to facilitate “legitimate travel for the upcoming World Cup tournament”. By that point, however, the high costs had already caused Evora to rule out even trying to make the 6,400km (3,900-mile) trip to Atlanta.

“I would have loved to travel and watch the match, but it was not possible,” she said.

Her inability to visit the US to watch her son’s World Cup heroics has provoked a strong reaction.

“No mother should miss the chance to see her child make history,” House of Representatives Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said on social media.

“I have asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio to do everything in his power to ensure that she can attend [the] next match on Sunday.”

A State Department official said there was no record of Evora applying for a visa but that players’ relatives were eligible for visa bond waivers. The official said Washington was “actively reaching out to this player’s family to assist with visa services”.

‘I would like her to be here’

Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha stunned the world by shutting out Spain’s formidable attacking lineup in the island nation’s World Cup debut on Monday, with the player, whose real name is Josimar Dias, breaking down in tears at full-time.

His emotions were because his mother had not been able to travel to see his heroics in person, he later told reporters, citing a visa issue.

“Also, my mum, she didn’t manage to be here because of the visa. The money for the visa, we didn’t manage on time, and I would like her to be here,” he said.

The early stages of the tournament have been plagued by immigration issues, with Somali referee Omar Artan banned from entering the US to officiate at World Cup matches.

A number of Iran’s backroom staff were also denied US visas, with strict travel requirements placed on the squad, who have moved their base to Mexico.

For smaller nations at the World Cup, the high costs of travel, accommodation and tickets are also a problem for people looking to attend the tournament, said Mario Semedo, president of the Cape Verde national football federation.

“It is not easy for a Cape Verdean resident to travel to a World Cup. Airfare, accommodation and match tickets all involve significant costs,” he told the Reuters news agency.

“There are certainly ways to manage immigration concerns while also creating conditions that allow supporters to travel. If a player’s family member, for example, wants to attend the tournament, every effort should be made to facilitate that.”