Bhutan to Russia: Trump’s proposed travel ban covers up to 43 nations

The Trump administration is reportedly toying with the idea of imposing a massive travel ban that could impact citizens from dozens of countries, according to sources in the know and an internal memo obtained by Reuters.

The memo, which reads like a particularly aggressive 'Do Not Invite' list, categorises 43 countries into three separate groups. The first group — comprised of 11 countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, Cuba, and North Korea — would face a full visa suspension. In simpler terms, their chances of getting a US visa would be about as good as winning the lottery without buying a ticket.

What is truly surprising, however, is Bhutan's inclusion in this category, leaving netizens wondering what citizens of one of the world's 'happiest countries' are supposed to have done.

The second group, made up of 10 countries, would be subject to partial suspensions affecting tourist and student visas, along with other immigrant visas, though with a few exceptions. Essentially, a "some of you can come in, but don’t get too comfortable" approach.

Then there’s the third group, consisting of 22 countries that would be placed on the diplomatic equivalent of probation. If their governments don’t shape up and fix their vetting processes within 60 days, the US might start rolling up the welcome mat for them as well.

A US official, who spoke anonymously (probably to avoid being dragged into the Twitter crossfire), emphasised that the list isn’t set in stone and is still awaiting final approval from the administration, including US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The New York Times was the first to report on the controversial list, which brings back memories of Trump's first-term travel ban targeting seven majority-Muslim countries — a policy that saw multiple rewrites before ultimately getting the Supreme Court’s stamp of approval in 2018.

Soon after taking office, Trump's successor Joe Biden revoked the travel bans, describing them as discriminatory and inconsistent with American values. “They are a stain on our national conscience,” Biden had said at the time, as reported by Indian Express.

In line with his no-nonsense approach to immigration, Trump signed an executive order on 20 January demanding beefed-up security screening for foreign visitors to prevent national security threats. The order also gave cabinet members until 21 March to come up with a list of countries where visa issuance should be curtailed due to "inadequate screening processes."

This latest move is just another chapter in Trump’s ongoing immigration crackdown, which has been a cornerstone of his second-term agenda. Back in October 2023, he teased his plans in a speech, vowing to limit entry from places like the Gaza Strip, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, and any other location deemed a security risk.

As expected, the State Department has remained tight-lipped, declining to comment when reached by Reuters. For now, the world will just have to wait and see which countries get the diplomatic cold shoulder next.

With agency inputs