Since the introduction of the Trump Travel Ban, many immigrants have found themselves in fear of traveling back to their original countries. This may be for a number of reasons; however, the most common is not actually knowing what the Trump Travel Ban means for immigrants already in the country and those who wish to move and live in the United States. This article and subsequent ones will discuss the Trump Travel Ban, what it entails, and the affected countries.
Firstly, it is important to understand that Trump Travel Ban is a series of Executive Orders that were issued by President Trump. These orders outline several temporary restrictions on the issuing of visas to specific countries. However, some of these orders have been challenged in court, which has resulted in the restrictions being added, deleted, waivered and exceptions included. As a result, it makes it very difficult to determine whether these restrictions are applicable to each individual. That being said, it must be noted that the Trump Travel Ban has nothing to do with the COVID-19 health-based travel bans that have been put in place.
The Trump Travel Ban put restrictions on nationals that are from specific countries. The basis for the restrictions is three criteria and their relationship with the U. S. That country:
- Has reliable identity documents and shares identity management information
- Shares relevant national security and safety information
- Poses a national security or public safety risk
To illustrate, it could be that a country is on the list because it does not issue electronic passports or that it does not share information when it comes to lost or stolen passports with other countries.
It must be noted that the travel ban restrictions do not apply to immigrants who already have a valid visa, green card, or other travel documentation. While there are no specific exceptions when it comes to visa renewals, there are some categories that might be eligible for a waiver. Further, these restrictions do not apply to people who were already in the U. S. when the travel ban went into effect. If an individual has dual citizenship in a country affected by the travel ban and another country that is not affected, then the travel restrictions do not apply if they apply for a visa using the passport of the country that is not affected by the restrictions.
Executive Order restrictions affected three main groups of countries. Some groups have visa type restrictions that apply to them:
Group 1 restrictions went into effect on September 24, 2017. The countries affected include:
- Iran – no issuing of immigrant or nonimmigrant visas. Exceptions are students and exchange visitors.
- Libya – no issuing of tourist or business visitor visas and immigrant visas
- Somalia – immigrant visas
- Syria – immigration or non-immigrant visas in any category
- Yemen – tourist or business visitor’s visas and immigrant visas
Initially, Chad was a part of this group list but was removed in a subsequent Executive Order.
Are you worried about some immigration issues? For legal advice and representation, contact the immigration office Chula Vista today.