|
|
|
Partial
US
travel
restrictions
going
into
effect
Thursday
By
MATTHEW
LEE
ap.org
WASHINGTON
- The
Trump
administration
has set
new
criteria
for visa
applicants
from six
mainly
Muslim
nations
and all
refugees
that
require
a
"close"
family
or
business
tie to
the
United
States.
The move
came
after
the
Supreme
Court
partially
restored
President
Donald
Trump's
executive
order
that was
widely
criticized
as a ban
on
Muslims.
Visas
that
have
already
been
approved
will not
be
revoked,
but
instructions
issued
by the
State
Department
Wednesday
said
that new
applicants
from
Syria,
Sudan,
Somalia,
Libya,
Iran and
Yemen
must
prove a
relationship
with a
parent,
spouse,
child,
adult
son or
daughter,
son-in-law,
daughter-in-law
or
sibling
already
in the
United
States
to be
eligible.
The same
requirement,
with
some
exceptions,
holds
for
would-be
refugees
from all
nations
that are
still
awaiting
approval
for
admission
to the
U.S.
Grandparents,
grandchildren,
aunts,
uncles,
nieces,
nephews,
cousins,
brothers-in-law
and
sisters-in-law,
fiancees
or other
extended
family
members
are not
considered
to be
close
relationships,
according
to the
guidelines
that
were
issued
in a
cable
sent to
all U.S.
embassies
and
consulates
late on
Wednesday.
The new
rules
take
effect
at 8
p.m.
Eastern
Daylight
Time on
Thursday
(0000GMT
on
Friday),
according
to the
cable,
which
was
obtained
by The
Associated
Press.
As far
as
business
or
professional
links
are
concerned,
the
State
Department
said a
legitimate
relationship
must be
"formal,
documented
and
formed
in the
ordinary
course
rather
than for
the
purpose
of
evading"
the ban.
Journalists,
students,
workers
or
lecturers
who have
valid
invitations
or
employment
contracts
in the
U.S.
would be
exempt
from the
ban. The
exemption
does not
apply to
those
who seek
a
relationship
with an
American
business
or
educational
institution
purely
for the
purpose
of
avoiding
the
rules,
the
cable
said. A
hotel
reservation
or car
rental
contract,
even if
it was
pre-paid,
would
also not
count,
it said.
Consular
officers
may
grant
other
exemptions
to
applicants
from the
six
nations
if they
have
"previously
established
significant
contacts
with the
United
States;"
''significant
business
or
professional
obligations"
in the
U.S.; if
they are
an
infant,
adopted
child or
in need
of
urgent
medical
care; if
they are
traveling
for
business
with a
recognized
international
organization
or the
U.S.
government
or if
they are
a legal
resident
of
Canada
who
applies
for a
visa in
Canada,
according
to the
cable.
Meanwhile,
the
Middle
East's
biggest
airline
says its
flights
to the
United
States
are
operating
as
normal
as new
travel
guidelines
come
into
effect
for
travelers
for six
mainly
Muslim
nations.
Dubai-based
Emirates
said in
response
to
questions
on the
travel
ban
Thursday
that it
"remains
guided
by the
US
Customs
and
Border
Protection
on this
matter."
The
carrier
reminded
passengers
that
they
"must
possess
the
appropriate
travel
documents,
including
a valid
US entry
visa, in
order to
travel."
On
Monday,
the
Supreme
Court
partially
lifted
lower
court
injunctions
against
Trump's
executive
order
that had
temporarily
banned
visas
for
citizens
of the
six
countries.
The
justices'
ruling
exempted
applicants
from the
ban if
they
could
prove a
"bona
fide
relationship"
with a
U.S.
person
or
entity,
but the
court
offered
only
broad
guidelines
-
suggesting
they
would
include
a
relative,
job
offer or
invitation
to
lecture
in the
U.S. -
as to
how that
should
be
defined.
Senior
officials
from the
departments
of
State,
Justice
and
Homeland
Security
had
labored
since
the
decision
to
clarify
the
ruling
and
Wednesday's
instructions
were the
result.
The new
guidance
will
remain
in place
until
the
Supreme
Court
issues a
final
ruling
on the
matter.
Arguments
before
the
justices
will not
be held
until at
least
October,
so the
interim
rules
will
remain
in place
at least
until
the
fall.
Shortly
after
taking
office,
Trump
ordered
the
refugee
ban and
a travel
ban
affecting
the six
countries,
plus
Iraq. He
said it
was
needed
to
protect
the U.S.
from
terrorists,
but
opponents
said it
was
unfairly
harsh
and was
intended
to meet
his
campaign
promise
to keep
Muslims
out of
the
United
States.
After a
federal
judge
struck
down the
bans,
Trump
signed a
revised
order
intended
to
overcome
legal
hurdles.
That was
also
struck
down by
lower
courts,
but the
Supreme
Court's
action
Monday
partially
reinstated
it.
The
initial
travel
ban led
to chaos
at
airports
around
the
world,
but
because
the
guidelines
exempt
previously
issued
visas,
similar
problems
are not
expected.
After a
judge
blocked
the
original
ban,
Trump
issued a
scaled-down
order
and the
court's
action
Monday
further
reduced
the
number
of
people
who
would be
covered
by it.
Also,
while
the
initial
order
took
effect
immediately,
adding
to the
confusion,
this one
was
delayed
72 hours
after
the
court's
ruling.
Under
the new
rules,
would-be
immigrants
from the
six
countries
who won
a
coveted
visa in
the
government's
diversity
lottery
- a
program
that
randomly
awards
50,000
green
cards
annually
to
people
from
countries
with low
rates of
immigration
to the
United
States -
will
also
have to
prove
they
have a
"bona
fide
relationship"
with in
the U.S.
or are
eligible
for
another
waiver
or face
being
banned
for at
least 90
days.
That
hurdle
may be a
difficult
one for
those
immigrants
to
overcome,
as many
visa
lottery
winners
don't
have
relatives
in the
U.S. or
jobs in
advance
of
arriving
in the
country.
Generally,
winners
in the
diversity
lottery
only
need
prove
they
were
born in
an
eligible
county
and have
completed
high
school
or have
at least
two
years of
work
experience
in an
occupation
that
requires
at least
two
other
years of
training
or
experience.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|