Trump Administration Implements New Travel Ban: US Will Finally or Partially Restrict Visa Issuance and US Travel to Citizens of 19 Countries

The Trump administration announced a new “travel ban” that will fully or partially suspend visa issuance to citizens of 19 countries whose vetting and screening processes have been deemed deficient by the US government. Beginning on Monday, June 9, issuance of US visas to most citizens of Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen will be suspended. The issuance of B-1/B-2 (business visitor/tourist) and F, M and J (student/exchange visitor) visas to citizens of Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela will also be suspended.

The new restrictions apply only to individuals who are outside the US as of the effective date and who do not already have a valid US visa. The restrictions do not apply to permanent residents of the US, dual nationals who are traveling with a passport from a country not named above, or certain other categories, including athletes and coaches traveling for major sporting events; travelers with valid A, C, G or NATO visas; travelers with immediate relative immigrant visas who possess clear and convincing evidence of identity and family relationship; adoptees with US parents; Afghans or US government employees traveling on Special Immigrant Visas; individuals who have been granted refugee or asylum status in the US; and ethnic and religious minorities facing persecution in Iran who are applying for immigrant visas. Exceptions may also be made when the traveler’s entry into the US “would advance a critical United States national interest involving the Department of Justice,” or on a case-by-case basis when the traveler’s admission would serve the US national interest. It remains to be seen how these exceptions will apply to nationals of the named countries.

If you have questions about the new visa restrictions and their impact on international travel, please contact your KM&M attorney.

Trump Announces Plans to Bar US Entry for Harvard University Students

The Trump Administration announced its intentions to block foreign students and researchers at Harvard from entering the country, claiming that the admission of these foreign nationals is detrimental to US interests. It is unclear how or when this policy will go into effect, and, as of this writing, the enforcement of this policy has been enjoined through a temporary restraining order in Federal District Court. It also remains unclear how Harvard students with valid visas who are currently in the US will be affected, but the proclamation instructs the Secretary of State to determine whether any current Harvard students should have their visas revoked.

The proclamation does not apply to students traveling to attend other universities.

We will continue to provide updates as the situation evolves.