The United States is considering a significant expansion of its travel restrictions, potentially banning entry for citizens of 36 additional countries, including Kyrgyzstan, according to an internal State Department memo obtained by The Washington Post.
The draft policy, signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, outlines a list of 25 African nations, along with several countries from Central Asia, the Caribbean, and the Pacific regions.
Citing security and immigration concerns
The document states that these countries fail to meet key U.S. security criteria, including:
- Lack of competent authorities for issuing reliable travel documents
- Weak controls allowing for passport fraud
- A high rate of visa overstays by their citizens in the United States
The memo gives affected governments 60 days to comply with newly outlined requirements. A preliminary action plan must be submitted by Wednesday at 8:00 a.m., according to the report.
The initiative aligns with the hardline immigration stance of Donald Trump’s administration, which earlier this month imposed a full travel ban on 12 countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, Somalia, Libya, Yemen, and Sudan.
Selective exceptions still apply
Despite the sweeping nature of the proposal, some exceptions remain for individuals from banned countries, including:
- Athletes traveling to participate in major sporting events
- Holders of immigrant visas for persecuted ethnic and religious minorities, such as those from Iran
- Afghan nationals with special immigrant visas
- Lawful permanent residents of the United States
Dual nationals, provided the second nationality is from a country not under restriction
Earlier, Trump also signed an executive order restricting entry for citizens from Venezuela, Turkmenistan, Cuba, Burundi, Laos, Togo, and Sierra Leone.
If enacted, the new measures would mark one of the broadest travel bans in recent U.S. history and could have wide-ranging implications for diplomacy, immigration, and international exchange.
