DONALD Trump is set to introduce sweeping travel restrictions on 43 countries, including Russia and Belarus, in a dramatic immigration crackdown.
The proposed policy — yet to be finalized — divides nations into three categories, with some facing full visa suspensions and others subject to partial restrictions.
U.S. President Donald Trump is set to slap several nations with immigration bans or restrictions[/caption]
Vladimir Putin’s Russia is among the 43 countries potentially affected[/caption]
Since before taking office on January 20, Trump has strongly pledged a crackdown on immigration into America[/caption]
According to a memo seen by The New York Times, Russian visas will reportedly be “sharply restricted,” while Belarusian travelers could see their access to the U.S. heavily curtailed.
Nations on the list have been warned they will remain banned unless their governments “address deficiencies within 60 days.”
The draft policy names 11 countries – including Afghanistan, Cuba, Iran, and North Korea – as facing the most severe restrictions, with full visa suspensions.
A second group of 10 nations would face partial suspensions affecting tourist, student, and immigration visas, with some exceptions.
A third group of 22 countries could also see visa issuance restricted if they fail to address security concerns.
These alleged issues include weak passport security, inadequate traveler data sharing, or the sale of citizenships to individuals from already-banned nations.
A U.S. official told The New York Times that the list could still change and has yet to receive final approval from the administration, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Flashback to the ‘Muslim Ban’
The move echoes Trump’s controversial 2017 travel ban, which targeted several Muslim-majority countries before being overturned by Joe Biden in 2021.
Some nations from the original ‘Muslim Ban’ list appear again, but the new proposal expands significantly.
Critics have questioned why certain nations – such as Bhutan, known for its low crime rate – are included, while major global players like China and India are absent.
Rich businessmen and visa holder from some affected nations could still enter the U.S. under a restricted category.
But they would need to attend mandatory in-person interviews to secure travel approval, The New York Times reports.
Wartime crackdown
The travel ban proposal comes as Trump navigates ceasefire negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.
The president warned last night that World War III could “very easily” erupt if peace talks fail, stating: “This would be a war like no other because of nuclear weapons and other types of weapons that you don’t even want to know about.”
Trump has been in direct talks with Vladimir Putin, urging Russia to spare Ukrainian soldiers trapped in the Kursk region.
In response, Putin said he was “sympathetic” to Trump’s request but insisted Kyiv must order its troops to surrender.
What countries could face Trump's bans or restrictions?
A NUMBER of countries could soon face strict travel restrictions, with some seeing an outright ban, others experiencing significant visa limitations, and a third group given a brief window to address specific concerns.
Here’s how the potential restrictions break down:
Complete travel ban: Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen.
Severe visa restrictions: Belarus, Eritrea, Haiti, Laos, Myanmar, Pakistan, Russia, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, and Turkmenistan.
Given 60 days to resolve issues: 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, Vanuatu, and Zimbabwe.
The escalating global tensions have cast a shadow over Trump’s immigration policies, which he has made a pillar of his presidency.
He previously vowed to launch “the largest deportation effort in American history” and has taken early steps, including revoking the green card of Mahmoud Khalil, a Syrian-born Columbia University graduate involved in Gaza war protests.
Khalil’s arrest has sparked fierce debate over free speech and immigration rights, with critics accusing Trump of targeting foreign students for political reasons.
The State Department has yet to comment on the proposed travel restrictions, and it remains unclear whether individuals with existing visas or green cards will be exempt.
The draft policy names 11 countries as facing the most severe restrictions[/caption]
Migrants wait to cross the United States border with Mexico[/caption]
‘Gold card’ visas
Trump previously announced he wants to begin selling gold card visas for $5million to foreigners who want to move to America and create jobs.
The US president revealed the immigration programme in late February, which could start in a matter of weeks.
He added it is possible Russian oligarchs could qualify for the gold cards, which were branded as “somewhat like a green card, but at a higher level of sophistication”.
Trump said in the Oval Office: “We’re going to be putting a price on that card of about $5 million and that’s going to give you Green Card privileges, plus it’s going to be a route to citizenship.
“Wealthy people will be coming into our country by buying this card.
“They’ll be wealthy and they’ll be successful and they’ll be spending a lot of money and paying a lot of taxes and employing a lot of people.
“And we think it’s going to be extremely successful and never been done before.”
Donald Trump previously said he wants to sell gold cards to foreigners wanting to move to the US[/caption]
Howard Lutnick, Secretary of Commerce, explained that the Trump administration intends to end the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program and “replace it with the Trump gold card.”
The EB-5 program grants investors the opportunity to apply for permanent U.S. residence if they “make the necessary investment in a commercial enterprise in the United States” and intend to generate or sustain 10 permanent full-time jobs.
Lutnick described the EB-5 program as “full of nonsense, make-believe and fraud,” adding, “It was a way to get a green card that was low priced.”
Once vetted, gold card holders “can invest in America and we can use that money to reduce our deficit,” he said.
The president projected that the gold card will attract “very high level people” who contribute to job creation.
How does the US visa system work?
The US currently offers a range of visas for foreigners who want to live and work in the country, each with its own set of requirements and limitations.
Broadly, visas fall into two categories: non-immigrant visas, which are temporary and typically issued for work, study, or tourism, and immigrant visas, which provide a pathway to permanent residency (a Green Card).
For those seeking long-term residency, the Green Card application process can be rigorous and time-consuming, often taking years.
Some applicants obtain Green Cards through family sponsorship, employer sponsorship, or humanitarian programs such as refugee or asylum status.
Others may qualify through investment-based programs like the EB-5 visa, which allows individuals to apply for permanent residency if they invest a significant amount of money in a US business and create jobs.
Nonimmigrant visas, on the other hand, include work-based visas such as the H-1B for skilled workers, L-1 for intra-company transfers, and O-1 for individuals with extraordinary abilities.
Many of these visas have strict eligibility criteria and annual caps, making them highly competitive.
The complexity and length of the US immigration process mean that many foreign nationals face long wait times and significant legal hurdles before securing the right to live and work in the country permanently.
