The Trump administration passed a new travel ban June 9, barring nationals of 12 countries from entering the United States. The ban also restricts citizens from another seven countries from entering the United States.

The Department of State fully suspended visa issuance to nationals of Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen for all nonimmigrant and immigrant visa categories with limited exceptions for:

• Certain diplomatic and official visas
• Certain immediate relative immigrant visas (spouses, children and parents of U.S. citizens)
• Immigrant visas for ethnic and religious minorities facing persecution in Iran
• Dual nationals applying with a passport nationality not subject to a suspension
• Special Immigrant Visas for U.S. government employees
• Afghan SIVs
• Participants in certain major sporting events
• Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs)

The Department of State is also partially suspending visa issuance to nationals of Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela for nonimmigrant B-1/B-2 visitor visas; and F, M and J student and exchange visitor visas; and all immigrant visas. See limited exceptions for this suspensions here.

Various aid groups and countries condemned the ban, while some nations named in the ban seem unbothered. The African Union Commission responded to the ban, saying the “potential negative of such measures on people-to-people ties, educational exchange, commercial engagement and the broader diplomatic relations that have been carefully nurtured over decades. The African Union Commission respectfully calls upon the U.S. Administration to consider adopting a more consultative approach and to engage in constructive dialogue with the countries concerned.”

Countries like Chad, however, are more unfazed. In fact, Mahamat Idriss Deby, president of Chad, said in a post on Facebook the country itself will suspend the issuing of visas to U.S. citizens in response to the travel ban. Venezuela’s interior minister Diosdada Cabello called anyone who wishes to move to the United States as “foolish.”

In addition to this new ban, the United States also placed a suspension of visa issuance to foreign nationals on May 27. This pause applies to J, F and M visa applicants (new student and exchange visa applicants), in which the administration aims to impose social media screening requirements of applicants from any country.

What are your thoughts on these travel bans? Will this affect you or anyone you know? What are your thoughts on the banned countries’ reactions? Email us at letters@globaltravelerusa.com. Please include your full name and location.