Islamabad, March 16: Under President Donald Trump’s administration, the U.S. is contemplating to implement a set of new visa restrictions and travel bans targeting several countries, primarily based on national security concerns.
Pakistan is taken into yellow category with “Visa Sharply Restricted“, from the new US administration.
These restrictions were divided into various categories, sometimes associated with color-coding, but the categorization of countries as “red,” “orange,” and “yellow” isn’t a formal, official classification in the context of U.S. travel or visa bans.
However, the terms were sometimes used informally or in news reports to describe the severity or nature of the restrictions placed on specific countries.
Here’s a general overview of the visa restrictions and countries involved under the Trump administration:
1. Travel Ban (All Travel Ban)
- Red Category (Countries under Total Ban):
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These countries were placed under a total travel ban, meaning the citizens of these countries were largely barred from entering the U.S. or faced very stringent restrictions.
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The current list – with sources – these countries are likely to be listed into red category:
- Afghanistan
- North Korea
- Iran
- Bhutan
- Cuba
- Libya
- Somalia
- Sudan
- Syria
- Yemen
- Venezuela
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These countries were targeted due to concerns about terrorism, and the restrictions were meant to review and enhance the vetting process for travelers from those nations.
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2. Visa Restrictions and Denials (Visa Sharply Restricted)
- Orange Category (Countries with Certain Strict Visa Restrictions):
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In addition to the travel ban countries, some nations will face more limited restrictions on certain types of visas or additional screening processes.
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The restrictions will usually impose on countries that would not be fully compliant with U.S. security protocols or that posed national security risks due to issues like terrorism or corruption. These countries were often required to provide additional information for visa applicants or increase security measures.
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Some examples of countries that will fall into this category during the Trump administration included:
- Pakistan
- Belarus
- Eritrea
- Russia
- Haiti
- Sierra Leone
- Laos
- South Sudan
- Myanmar
- Turkmenistan
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These countries didn’t face an outright ban but would be subject to increased scrutiny and tighter restrictions, such as limiting the issuance of certain types of visas (e.g., still to be defined) or requiring additional security checks.
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Read More:Pakistani Senior Diplomat Denied Access to USA
3. Limited Restrictions (No Travel Ban but Additional Vetting – 60 Days to Address Concerns)
- Yellow Category (Countries with Heightened Vetting or Increased Scrutiny):
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The yellow category typically referred to countries that will not face outright bans but will still be subject to additional vetting, security checks, or restrictions on certain types of travel.
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Countries that would be placed under this category could include those that:
- Failed to comply with U.S. information-sharing agreements.
- Were deemed to have insufficient data on their nationals.
- Had weak security or terrorism control frameworks.
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Probable List of the countries in this category:
- Angola
- Equatorial Guinea
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Gambia
- Benin
- Liberia
- Burkina Faso
- Malawi
- Cambodia
- Mali
- Cameron
- Mauritius
- Cape Verde
- St. Kitts and Nevis
- Chad
- St. Lucia
- Republic of Congo
- Democratic Republic of Congo
- Vanuatu
- Dominica
- Zimbabwe
- Sao Tome and Principe
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Last End of Travel Bans and Adjustments:
In his last term President Trump started a travel ban in 2017. The travel ban restrictions introduced by the Trump Presidency, ultimately in January 2021, President Joe Biden issued a proclamation that revoked the Trump-era travel bans, including the Muslim Ban (Executive Order 13769), opening up travel from those countries once again.
The Biden administration, however, did continue some of the vetting and security measures that had been enhanced under Trump.
Also Read:US Considers Travel Ban on Pakistanis Amid Security Concerns
While the U.S. did not formally categorize countries as red, orange, or yellow in an official manner, the terms were often used informally to describe the severity of restrictions on countries under the Trump administration’s travel bans and visa restrictions.
The red category often referred to countries under full or partial bans, while orange and yellow likely referred to those facing additional scrutiny or vetting requirements based on national security concerns.
For the most current status of visa restrictions and travel rules, it’s important to refer to official U.S. government sources, such as the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
