A leaked memo obtained by Reuters shows the Trump administration examining wide-ranging travel policies for 41 countries, among which Pakistan stands as one of the affected nations under their current immigration initiative.
The government of Pakistan comes under a group of 26 countries which might experience visa limitations when it fails to resolve its security problems within 60 days.
Current and future students and tourists retain the possibility of visa approval. In contrast, visitor and student visas with other immigrant visas face operational restrictions.
Among the 41 countries listed in the memo, these nations are arranged in three distinct sections. Visa restrictions will be fully implemented against the 10 countries of Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, Cuba, and North Korea and their counterparts.
Tourist visas and student visas, along with other immigrant visas, will be partially suspended in the targeted countries composed of Eritrea, Haiti, Laos, Myanmar, and South Sudan.
The third category, consisting of Pakistan along with Belarus and Turkmenistan, should undergo security checks to determine potential partial visa bans.
The current proposal remains in review status, according to an anonymous U.S. official, who added that Secretary of State Marco Rubio, alongside other administration members, has not authorized its approval.
According to public reports, the State Department has declined to give any statement on the matter.
Trump’s January 20 executive order imposed stricter security checks on travelers alongside March 21 demands for officials to present final countries restricted by security standards.
Research shows that the new restrictive policy mirrors what became known as the Muslim Ban when Trump held office during his first term while the Supreme Court supported it in 2018.
The November 2023 presidential campaign received an October 2023 presidential speech from Trump, who promised to implement additional travel restrictions against Gaza and Libya along with Somalia, Syria, and Yemen.
The government of Pakistan needs to implement diplomatic solutions to resolve worries and stop restrictions on their citizens applying for U.S. visas since the country made it to the restricted list.
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