The new Trump administration in the U.S. is considering imposing travel restrictions on dozens of countries, including Pakistan, and has compiled a list of 41 nations.
According to an international news agency, Reuters, an internal memo revealed that these 41 countries have been categorized into three different groups. However, this memo has not been officially released yet.
As per the Reuters report, Pakistan is among the countries listed in the memo that may face restrictions if they fail to improve their security measures.
The first group consists of countries whose visas will be completely suspended, including Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, Cuba, North Korea, and seven others.
Pakistan has reportedly been placed in the “Orange List” along with ten other nations, including Belarus, Haiti, Myanmar, Russia, and Turkmenistan. Citizens of these countries may face conditional restrictions on immigrant and tourist visas, while business travelers may be allowed entry under specific conditions. These countries will be required to enhance their security screening and visa processing systems within 60 days.
Another group includes countries facing partial visa suspensions, such as Haiti, Laos, and Myanmar, whose citizens may face restrictions on educational, tourist, and immigration visas.
It is worth noting that former U.S. President Donald Trump had previously imposed travel bans on specific countries during his first term, which were later revoked by his Democratic successor, Joe Biden, in 2021, calling them a “stain on the nation’s conscience.”
However, the expected new restrictions by the current U.S. administration could also impact thousands of Afghan nationals who were cleared for resettlement in the U.S. under refugee or special immigrant visas.
