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Trump travel ban: US sets out visa criteria | |
(35 minutes later) | |
The White House has set new criteria for visa applicants from six mainly Muslim countries and all refugees, requiring them to have a "close" family or business tie to the US. | The White House has set new criteria for visa applicants from six mainly Muslim countries and all refugees, requiring them to have a "close" family or business tie to the US. |
The rules, affecting people from Iran, Libya, Syria, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen, come into force on Thursday night. | |
They were issued after the Supreme Court partially restored President Donald Trump's travel ban. | |
The controversial executive order had been blocked by lower courts. | |
According to the new rules, confirmed to the BBC, for the next 90 days those without a close relationship - defined as a parent, spouse, child, son or daughter-in-law, or sibling - will not be able to enter the US. | |
The definition of "close" relationships excludes grandparents, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, in-laws, extended family and grandchildren. | |
Also exempt from the new rules are those with business or educational ties to the United States. | |
However, the guidelines specifically state that the relationship must be formal, documented and formed in ordinary course, rather than for the purpose of evading the executive order. | |
Those who already hold valid visas are not affected. Dual nationals who travel on their passport from the unaffected country will also be allowed entry. | |
However, lawyers both for and against the ban have warned that the new restrictions - which will remain in place until the Supreme Court issues a final ruling - could open the door to a flood of legal challenges. | |
But the Supreme Court will not be reviewing the case until October - which will mean the 90-day period will be largely done. | |
The court also approved the 120-day ban on refugees entering the United States. However, Mr Trump's administration has put a cap on the number of refugees it is willing to accept at 50,000, which the State Department said would be reached in the next two weeks. | |
More on Trump's travel ban | |
Rights groups have been fighting President Trump's executive order for the last five months. | |
He said the order was needed to stop terrorists entering the US, but critics said it was s a ban on Muslims. | |
It was first signed in February, but was blocked by the courts. A revised order was halted by a judge in Hawaii just hours before it was supposed to go into force in March. | |
President Trump called the court's decision a "victory for our national security". |