The White House intends to severely restrict the issuance of US visas to citizens of Russia and Belarus
The Donald Trump administration is considering imposing a ban on entry into the United States for citizens of more than 40 countries, including three post-Soviet countries. This would be a more extensive measure than the restrictions introduced during Trump's first term, writes The New York Times.
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The draft, developed by diplomats and security officials, proposes a "red" list of 11 countries whose citizens would be completely banned from entering the United States.
The draft also includes an “orange” list of 10 countries that would be subject to strict restrictions on entry into the United States, but it does not imply a complete ban. In these cases, wealthy business travelers may be allowed to enter, but ordinary people will have difficulty obtaining tourist or immigrant visas. The “orange” list includes Russia, Belarus, and Turkmenistan.
In addition, there is also a "yellow" list. Countries included in it must make a number of changes in the area of security. If they do not do this within 60 days, they will move to the "orange" or "red" list.
| Color | Status | Countries |
| Red | All travel is prohibited | Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, Yemen |
| Orange | Visas are severely restricted | Belarus, Eritrea, Haiti, Laos, Myanmar, Pakistan, United States of America, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Turkmenistan |
| Yellow | 60 days to fix problems | Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Sao Tome and Principe, Vanuatu, Zimbabwe |
When Trump took office on January 20, he issued an executive order requiring the State Department to identify countries whose lengthy and costly vetting process justifies a partial or complete suspension of entry for those countries' citizens.
He gave the department 60 days to complete a report for the White House. That deadline has nearly expired.
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It is unclear whether people with valid visas will be exempted from the ban or whether their visas will be revoked. It is also unclear what will happen to green card holders who have already been granted permanent residence in the United States.
How countries were selected for inclusion on the lists is not always clear. For example, Bhutan is considered for inclusion on the “red” list. This small, peaceful Buddhist-Hindu country, which is located between China and India, has never appeared on the US restrictive lists, and its citizens are known for their peace-loving and open nature.
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The proposal to sharply restrict or completely ban entry to Russian citizens also raises questions. Although the Russian government has a reputation for corruption, Trump is trying to reorient U.S. foreign policy toward Russia.
The decision to include Venezuela could disrupt a nascent warming of relations that has helped Trump in his efforts to deport illegal immigrants.
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