U.S. Reviewing Visa Programmes Amid Reports Of New Travel Ban

The U.S. State Department has confirmed that it is conducting a comprehensive review of all visa programmes.

Meanwhile, reports have surfaced about a potential new travel ban, with an American official telling CNN that Afghanistan may be included on the list of restricted countries.

A State Department spokesperson stated that the department is reviewing all visa programmes in accordance with president Trump’s executive order and is working to implement the administration’s priorities.

An American official told CNN that the ban could take effect soon, possibly as early as next week. However, it remains unclear whether final decisions have been made regarding the countries to be included.

On 20 January, U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order instructing his cabinet members, including the Secretary of State, to compile a list of countries deemed to have insufficient screening procedures. Citizens from those nations could face partial or full travel restrictions to the U.S.. The order requires the list to be finalised within 60 days.

During his first term, Trump banned refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries, a move that faced legal challenges until it was revoked by Joe Biden in 2021.

If Afghanistan is added to the new travel ban, it could severely impact tens of thousands of Afghans who worked alongside U.S. forces during the two-decade war and are still awaiting relocation to the U.S. Many of them have already faced delays due to Trump’s previous executive orders, which suspended refugee admissions and cut funding for Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders’ travel costs.

On Wednesday, the group AfghanEvac, which has been working since the U.S. withdrawal in 2021 to relocate Afghan allies to safety, issued a warning. It urged all Afghans holding valid U.S. visas to travel immediately, citing credible evidence that a travel ban for Afghan citizens may soon take effect.

The organisation stated that while no official announcement has been made, multiple sources within the U.S. government indicate that a new travel restriction may be implemented next week. It warned that this policy could significantly impact Afghan visa holders awaiting transfer to the U.S..

The International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) also condemned the reports of a new travel ban. In a statement released on Friday, the organisation said that many Afghan applicants have waited years for visa processing and remain in life-threatening conditions. It argued that a new ban would place them in even greater danger.

IRAP further stated that even a temporary suspension would have immediate and lasting consequences for refugees and their families. The organisation also raised concerns that the ban may target Afghan refugees at risk of Taliban persecution, including SIV holders and those who supported the U.S. mission in Afghanistan.

The group called the Trump administration’s decisions “shameful”, accusing it of betraying America’s promise to its Afghan allies and others forcibly displaced from their homes.

Earlier, Reuters reported that Trump is expected to sign a new executive order next week, which may include citizens of Afghanistan and Pakistan in the travel ban, blocking their entry to the US.