The US tightens entry rules for citizens of several countries

Under the new rules, citizens of countries covered by the order will not be able to apply for immigration visas (e.g. for permanent residence) or temporary visas, such as tourist or business visas. The ban applies to, among others, Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.

The list also includes Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela. Citizens of these countries are subject to the same restrictions – they cannot apply for permanent residence or the most commonly issued temporary visas, such as tourist, student or business visas.

The new regulations mean serious restrictions for citizens of the countries covered by the regulation who were planning to travel to the US for tourism, education or migration purposes. The US authorities have announced that the list of countries may be updated if the situation regarding security cooperation improves.