11 countries face US entry ban: Iraq remains off list
Shafaq News/ US authorities are planning to tighten travel rules for citizens of several countries, including some Arab nations, the New York Times reported on Saturday.
The proposal includes a “red” list of 11 countries whose citizens would be completely banned from entering the US. These countries are Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen.
The proposal also features an “orange” list of 10 countries where travel would be heavily restricted but not entirely blocked. Citizens from these nations would need to undergo mandatory in-person interviews to obtain a visa.
Wealthy business travellers might still be allowed entry, but people applying for immigrant or tourist visas would face stricter scrutiny. These countries include Russia, Belarus, Haiti, Laos, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Turkmenistan, Eritrea, and South Sudan.
The third “yellow” category lists countries whose citizens would face partial or full restrictions. These nations include Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burkina Faso, Vanuatu, Gambia, the Dominican Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zimbabwe, Cape Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, the Congo, Liberia, Mauritania, Malawi, Mali, São Tomé and Príncipe, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Chad, and Equatorial Guinea.
Notably, Iraq is not included in the new list, a significant change from the first term of former President Donald Trump, when the country was included in a similar travel ban.
Upon taking office on January 20, President Trump issued an executive order directing the State Department to identify countries with insufficient vetting procedures, which would justify suspending entry for their nationals. The department was given 60 days to submit a report to the White House, which is expected to be delivered next week.
Although the changes are still under review, officials have suggested that adjustments may be made before the new rules are officially announced. These measures are expected to go beyond the restrictions imposed during Trump’s first term.
