Afghanistan, Bhutan, Pakistan amongst countries US proposes visa ban, limitation: NYT

New Delhi, Mar 15: The Trump administration is considering imposing new travel restrictions targeting citizens from up to 43 countries, according to a report by The New York Times. The draft proposal, which is still under internal review, outlines three categories of countries whose citizens may face varying degrees of entry restrictions to the United States.

The most stringent category, dubbed the “red list,” proposes a complete travel ban for citizens from 11 countries: Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen. According to officials cited by The New York Times, this measure would bar entry to these nationals under any circumstances.

A second group of 10 nations appears on an “orange list,” which would impose strict visa limitations rather than a full travel ban. Under this designation, wealthier business travelers may be permitted entry, but those seeking immigrant or tourist visas would face heightened restrictions, including mandatory in-person interviews. The countries on this list are Belarus, Eritrea, Haiti, Laos, Myanmar, Pakistan, Russia, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, and Turkmenistan.

A third tier, labelled the “yellow list,” includes 22 countries that would be given 60 days to address security concerns or risk being moved to one of the more restrictive categories. Countries in this group include: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, São Tomé and Príncipe,

The proposed travel ban emerges from an executive order President Trump issued upon taking office, instructing the State Department to identify countries with insufficient vetting and screening procedures. The resulting draft list was prepared by diplomatic and security officials, though sources to NYT indicated it may be revised before reaching the White House.

While some countries included in the draft reflect previous travel bans implemented by the Trump administration, others — such as Bhutan — are new to the list. The motivations for adding certain countries remain unclear. The proposal has also raised concerns about its potential impact on U.S. relations with nations such as Russia and Venezuela, where diplomatic engagement has been ongoing.

The status of individuals with existing visas or green cards remains uncertain, with officials yet to clarify whether they would be exempt from the proposed restrictions. In response to inquiries, spokespeople from multiple government agencies declined to comment on internal deliberations. However, the State Department emphasised its commitment to ensuring national security and public safety through the visa process while avoiding discussion of the draft proposal’s specifics.