State Department Revokes Existing Visas and Bans the Issuance of New Visas for South Sudanese Passport Holders

Quick Hits

• The United States will revoke all existing visas held by South Sudanese passport holders.
• U.S. consulates and embassies abroad will be prevented from issuing any new visas for South Sudanese passport holders.
• South Sudanese passport holders who are not currently in the United States are banned from entering the United States until further notice.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a press release announcing that the State Department would take immediate action to revoke any existing visas and prevent the issuance of any new visas for any individual holding a South Sudanese passport. Secretary Rubio stated that the State Department was implementing this ban in response to the South Sudan transitional government’s refusal to accept South Sudanese citizens who had been ordered removed from the United States.

How Long Will the Restrictions Last?

It is unclear how long this ban will be in effect. The State Department noted that it would review the visa revocation and ban if the South Sudanese government began accepting its returning citizens in cooperation with U.S. removal efforts.

South Sudan was one of the forty-three countries under consideration for a travel ban earlier this month. There are no indicators as to whether the State Department will issue bans for other countries on the list at this time.

Ogletree Deakins’ Immigration Practice Group will continue to monitor developments and will publish updates on the Immigration blog as additional information becomes available.

Follow and Subscribe
LinkedIn | Instagram | Webinars | Podcasts