The US State Department has denied reports about imposing new travel restrictions on Pakistan and several other countries. In a recent news briefing, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce dismissed claims that the US government had prepared a list of countries facing new visa bans, dividing them into three groups.
The State Department reaffirmed its commitment to resettling Afghans who assisted the US mission in Afghanistan, clarifying that no such list exists. However, Tammy Bruce acknowledged that, following an executive order issued on January 20, the US is conducting a broad security review of its visa policies.
She emphasized that this review is part of an ongoing process to evaluate visa regulations and enhance US national security. However, she strongly refuted claims that Afghanistan is among the countries facing a complete visa suspension.
The State Department’s clarification came after an alleged list surfaced, reportedly categorizing 41 countries, including Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran, into three groups with varying degrees of travel restrictions.
According to this list, countries like Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, Cuba, and North Korea were allegedly facing a complete travel ban to the US. The second group, which reportedly included five countries, including Pakistan, was said to face partial suspensions affecting tourist, student, and immigrant visas.
Furthermore, the list suggested that countries in the third group could face partial visa suspensions if their governments failed to address specific documentation issues within 60 days. However, the list did not specify the exact nature of these alleged deficiencies.
The US State Department has now dismissed this list, confirming that no such visa bans are in place.
