US to tighten entry rules for Russian citizens

The Donald Trump administration is reportedly planning to introduce new restrictions on entry to the US for citizens of forty-three countries, including Russia and Belarus.

According to The New York Times, citing American officials familiar with the matter, the project was prepared by American diplomats and security units and envisages dividing countries into three categories: “red,” “orange,” and “yellow.”

Travel to the US will be significantly restricted for citizens of the ten countries on the “orange” list.

Only “wealthy business travelers” from these countries will be allowed to enter the country, while tourist and immigration visas may be prohibited.

In addition to Russia and Belarus, Haiti, Laos, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Eritrea, and Turkmenistan are also planned to be included in this list.

The “red” list includes eleven countries: Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, and Yemen, and citizens of these countries will be completely banned from entering the US.

The 22 countries on the “yellow” list will be given 60 days to address US concerns. Otherwise, these countries may also be placed in the “orange” or “red” categories. This list generally includes Caribbean and African countries.

It is not yet known whether the new regulation will affect existing visas and residence permits (green cards).

It remains unclear whether these will be canceled.

The recommendations regarding the new entry regulation were prepared by the State Department a few weeks ago, but the document may be revised before being submitted to the White House.

In addition, The New York Times recalled that in January, Donald Trump signed a decree envisaging the identification of countries whose information provided was “insufficient for verification” and the partial or complete suspension of entry for citizens of these countries.

The newspaper also noted that Trump imposed a similar ban during his first presidential term (2017-2021), but this ban was later lifted by his successor, Joe Biden.

The report noted that officials from various government agencies declined to comment on the matter.